Ecclesiastes 10:2-20 ▼

2 A wyse mans heart is vpon his right hande, but a fooles heart vpon his left.

3 A foole wyll shewe him selfe when he goeth by the way, yet thinketh he that euery man doth as foolishly as him self.

4 If a principall spirite be geuen thee to beare rule, be not negligent then in thine office: for he that can take cure of him selfe, auoydeth great offences.

5 Another plague is there whiche I haue seene vnder the sunne, namely, the ignoraunce that is commonly among princes: in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath.

6 (10:5) in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath.

7 (10:6) I haue seene seruauntes ride vpon horses, and princes goyng vpon their feete as it were seruauntes.

8 (10:7) But he that diggeth vp a pitte, shall fall therin hym selfe: and who so breaketh downe the hedge, a serpent shall byte hym.

9 (10:8) Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: and he that heweth wood, shalbe hurt therwith.

10 (10:9) When an iron is blunt and the poynt not sharpened, it must be whet agayne, and that with might: Euen so doth wisdome folowe diligence.

11 (10:10) A backbiter is no better then a serpent that stingeth without hissing.

12 (10:11) The wordes out of a wyse mans mouth are gratious: but the lippes of a foole wyll destroy him selfe.

13 (10:12) The beginning of his talking is foolishnesse: & the last worde of his mouth is starke madnesse.

14 (10:13) A foole is full of wordes, and a man can not tell what shall come to passe: who wyll then warne hym of it that shall folowe after hym?

15 (10:14) The labour of the foolishe is greeuous vnto them, whyle they know not howe to go into the citie.

16 (10:15) Wo be vnto thee O thou lande, whose kyng is but a chylde, and whose princes are early at their bankettes.

17 (10:16) But well is thee O thou lande, whose kyng is come of nobles, and whose princes eate in due season for necessitie, and not for lust.

18 (10:17) Thorowe slouthfulnesse the balkes fall downe, and thorowe idle handes it rayneth in at the house.

19 (10:18) Meate maketh men to laugh, and wine maketh them merie: but vnto money are all thinges obedient.

20 (10:19) Wishe the king no euil in thy thought, and speake no hurt of the riche in thy priuie chaumber: for a byrde of the ayre shall betray thy voyce, and with her fethers shall she bewray thy wordes.