Ecclesiastes 10:1-18
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 10
1Dead flies turn a perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more potent than wisdom and honor. 2A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish person’s heart directs him toward the left. 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. 4If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your place, because composure puts great offenses to rest.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler:
6foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places.
7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall.
9One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success.
11If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer.
12Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;
13the beginning of his talking is foolishness, and the end of it is evil insanity.
14Yet the fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15The labor of a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city.
16Woe to you, land whose king is a boy, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
18Through extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks.
King James Version
Chapter 10
1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 10
1Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2A wise person’s heart goes to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. 4If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your post, for calmness puts great offenses to rest.
7I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
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.
11If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.
12The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13The beginning of the words from his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness;
14yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?
15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don’t know how to go to the city.
16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes 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.
18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.
New Living Translation
5There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake
6when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth.
7I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes — and princes walking like servants!
8When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
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.
English Standard Version
Chapter 10
1Dead flies make the perfumer 's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man 's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool 's heart to the left. 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.
12The words of a wise man 's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?
15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!
17Happy 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!
18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
New International Version
Chapter 10
1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. 2The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. 3Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
4If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
7I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
10If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
11If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.
12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
13At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—
New King James Version
