Ecclesiastes 10:1-3 - Compare All Versions

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As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.

Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!

Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink;  so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise person’s heart goes to the   right, but a fool’s heart to the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool.

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left. Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.

Dead flies in perfume make it stink, And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom. Wise thinking leads to right living; Stupid thinking leads to wrong living. Fools on the road have no sense of direction. The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”

Dead flies turn a perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more potent than wisdom and honor. A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish person’s heart directs him toward the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.

Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give off a foul odor; so a little foolishness [in one who is esteemed] outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man’s heart turns him toward the right [which is the way of blessing], but a fool’s heart turns him toward the left [which is the way of condemnation]. [Matt 25:31-41] Even when a fool walks along the road, his [common] sense and good judgment fail him and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.

One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom. A wise person’s good sense protects him, but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable. Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.