Ecc 10 | ASV | e4.org | Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

‏ Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer ^▼▼1 to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly ^▼▼2 outweigh wisdom and honor. ^{▼▼1) Or to stink and putrefy 2) Or him that is valued for wisdom} 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his ^▼▼1 understanding faileth him, and he saith ^▼▼2 to every one that he is a fool. ^{▼▼1) Heb heart 2) Or of}

4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for ^▼▼1 gentleness allayeth great offences. ^{▼▼1) Or calmness leaveth great sins undone} 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 folly is set in great ^▼▼1 dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. ^{▼▼1) Heb heights} 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso ^▼▼1 heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. ^{▼▼1) Or moveth stones} 10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 ^▼▼1 If the serpent bite ^▼▼2 before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in ^▼▼3 the charmer. ^{▼▼1) Or Surely the serpent will bite where there is no enchantment; and the slanderer is no better. 2) Heb without enchantment 3) Heb the master of the tongue}

12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of ^▼▼1 his talk is mischievous madness. ^{▼▼1) Heb his mouth} 14 A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a ^▼▼1 child, and thy princes eat in the morning! ^{▼▼1) Or servant} 17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is ^▼▼1 the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! ^{▼▼1) Or a free man} 18 By slothfulness the ^▼▼1 roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. ^{▼▼1) Or rafters sink} 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. 20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.