Ecclesiastes 10 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 10 ▼
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1 One dead fly makes the perfumer's ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom. Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise person's good sense protects him, but a fool's lack of sense leaves him vulnerable. A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
4 If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses. If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
5 I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions. folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves. I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success. If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
11 If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble. If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.
12 The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive. The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
13 At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness, The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—
14 yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future? A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
15 The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city. The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning! Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time--with self-control and not in drunkenness. Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of idle hands the house leaks. Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
19 Feasts are made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything. Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words. Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. Do 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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