Ecclesiastes 10
10
1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
4If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6Fools are put in many high positions,
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.
8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.
12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,
but fools are consumed by their own lips.
13At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14and fools multiply words.
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
15The toil of fools wearies them;
they do not know the way to town.
16Woe to the land whose king was a servant#10:16 Or king is a child
and whose princes feast in the morning.
17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.
18Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.
19A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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Ecclesiastes 10
10
1Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
2The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, ‘He [is] a fool.’
4If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
6He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
7I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
8Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
10If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
14And the fool multiplieth words: ‘Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?’
15The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
17Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
18By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
19For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
20Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
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