Ecclesiastes 10:6-17

6A ruler may give fools too much authority. At the same time, rich people have no authority.

7Slaves ride on horses, as important people do. At the same time, princes have to walk, as slaves do.

8If you dig a deep hole, you might fall into it. If you knock down a wall, a snake might bite you.

9If you cut stones out of the ground, a stone might hurt you. If you cut wood into pieces, a piece of it might hurt you.

10If your axe is not sharp, you will need to be very strong to use it. If you are wise, you will make the axe's edge sharp again. That is how wisdom helps you to do things well.

11Someone may have power over dangerous snakes. But that will not help him if the snake bites him first.

12People respect a wise person, because of the things that he says. But the words of a fool will destroy him.

13When a fool starts to speak, he says silly things. When he finishes, he is saying crazy things that are wicked.

14But he never stops talking. Nobody knows what will happen in the future. Nobody can tell us what will happen after we die.

15When a fool does any work, he quickly becomes tired. He is so tired that he forgets the way to town.

16A country is in terrible trouble if its ruler is young and foolish. If its leaders go to parties all day, a country is in trouble.

17But if a country's ruler belongs to a good family, that country will be a happy place. Its leaders only enjoy parties at the proper time. They control themselves and they do not become drunk.