Ecclesiastes 10

1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.

3 Even as he walks along the road,
the fool lacks sense
and shows everyone how stupid he is.

4 If a ruler's anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great errors to rest.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:

6 Fools are put in many high positions,
while the rich occupy the low ones.

7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.

8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.

10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed
but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
there is no profit for the charmer.

12 Words from a wise man's mouth are gracious,
but a fool is consumed by his own lips.

13 At the beginning his words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—

14 and the fool multiplies words.

No one knows what is coming—
who can tell him what will happen after him?

15 A fool's work wearies him;
he does not know the way to town.

16 Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant
and whose princes feast in the morning.

17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.

18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag;
if his hands are idle, the house leaks.

19 A feast is made for laughter,
and wine makes life merry,
but money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird of the air may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

ECCLESIASTES 10

1 A few dead flies in perfume
make all of it stink,
and a little foolishness
outweighs a lot of wisdom.

2 Sensible thoughts lead you
to do right;
foolish thoughts lead you
to do wrong.

3 Fools show their stupidity
by the way they live;
it's easy to see
they have no sense.

4 Don't give up your job
when your boss gets angry.
If you stay calm,
you'll be forgiven.
5 Rulers do some things that are terribly unfair: 6 They honor fools, but dishonor the rich;

7 they let slaves ride on horses, but force slave owners to walk.

8  t If you dig a pit,
you might fall in;
if you break down a wall,
a snake might bite you.t

9 You could even get hurt
by chiseling a stone
or chopping a log.

10 If you don't sharpen your ax,
it will be harder to use;
if you are wise,
you'll know what to do.t

11 The power to charm a snake
does you no good
if it bites you anyway.

12 If you talk sensibly,
you will have friends;
if you talk foolishly,
you will destroy yourself.

13 Fools begin with nonsense,
and their stupid chatter
ends with disaster.

14 They never tire of talking,
but none of us really know
what the future will bring.

15 Fools wear themselves out—
they don't know enough
to find their way home.t

16 A country is in for trouble
when its ruler is childish,
and its leaders
party all day long.

17 But a nation will prosper
when its ruler is mature,
and its leaders
don't party too much.

18 Some people are too lazy
to fix a leaky roof—
then the house collapses.

19 Eating and drinking
make you feel happy,
and money can buy
everything you need.

20 Don't let yourself think about
cursing the king;
don't curse the rich,
not even in secret.
A little bird might hear
and tell everything.