Ecclesiastes 10

1 
Dead flies in perfume make it stink, And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.
2 Wise thinking leads to right living; Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.
3 Fools on the road have no sense of direction. The way they walk tells the story: "There goes the fool again!"
4 If a ruler loses his temper against you, don't panic; A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.

5-7  Here's a piece of bad business I've seen on this earth, An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge: Immaturity is given a place of prominence, While maturity is made to take a backseat. I've seen unproven upstarts riding in style, While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.

8  Caution: The trap you set might catch you. Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.

9  Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous. Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.

10  Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work; Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.

11  If the snake bites before it's been charmed, What's the point in then sending for the charmer?

12-13  The words of a wise person are gracious. The talk of a fool self-destructs— He starts out talking nonsense And ends up spouting insanity and evil.
14 Fools talk way too much, Chattering stuff they know nothing about.
15 A decent day's work so fatigues fools That they can't find their way back to town.

16-17  Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup, And whose princes party all night. Lucky the land whose king is mature, Where the princes behave themselves And don't drink themselves silly.

18  A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack; A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.
19 Laughter and bread go together, And wine gives sparkle to life— But it's money that makes the world go around.
20 Don't bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don't abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.

Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.3 Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:6 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.9 Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.14 A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?15 The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!18 By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.