Ecclesiastes 10
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Holman Christian Standard BibleNew Living Translation
1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 1As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
2A wise man's heart goes to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. 2A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.
3Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. 3You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!
4If the ruler's anger rises against you, don't leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. 4If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. The Ironies of Life
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: 5There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake
6The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. 6when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.
7I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves. 7I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!
8The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 8When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
9The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them. 9When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you. When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax.
10If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success. 10Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.
11If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer. 11If a snake bites before you charm it, what’s the use of being a snake charmer?
12The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 12Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. 13Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
14Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? 14they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future.
15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don't know how to go to the city. 15Fools are so exhausted by a little work that they can’t even find their way home.
16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning. 16What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant, the land whose leaders feast in the morning.
17Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. 17Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. 18Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.
19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. 19A party gives laughter, wine gives happiness, and money gives everything!
20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter. 20Never make light of the king, even in your thoughts. And don’t make fun of the powerful, even in your own bedroom. For a little bird might deliver your message and tell them what you said.
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 9
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