Ecclesiastes 10:1-17 ▼

1 Flies of death will cause the oil of the perfume to stink, it will ferment: the preciousness of wisdom above the honor of the least folly.

2 The heart of the wise one to his right, and the heart of the foolish one to his left.

3 And also as the foolish one went in the way, his heart was wanting, and he said to all, It is folly.

4 If the spirit of him ruling shall go up against thee, thou shalt not leave thy place; for quietness will put down great sins.

5 There is an evil I saw under the sun as an error going forth from before him having power:

6 Folly was given to great heights, and the rich were set in lowness.

7 I saw servants upon horses, and chiefs going as servants upon the earth.

8 He digging a ditch shall fall into it; he breaking down a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

9 He removing stones; shall suffer pain by them; and he cleaving woods asunder shall be endangered by them.

10 If the iron became dull and he polished not the face, and he will strengthen the forces: and wisdom will make preeminence to prosper.

11 If a serpent will bite without magic; and no preeminence to the possessor of the tongue.

12 The words of the wise one's mouth, grace; and the lips of the foolish one shall swallow him down.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, folly: and the latter state of his mouth the folly of evil.

14 And the foolish one will multiply words: man shall not know what shall be; and what shall be after him, who shall announce to him?

15 The labor of the foolish will weary them, because he knew not to go to the city.

16 Wo! to thee, O land: thy king a youth, and thy chiefs will eat in the morning.

17 Happy thou, O land: thy king the son of nobles, and thy chiefs shall eat in time, in strength and not in drinking.