New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 10

A Little Foolishness

1Deadמָ֔וֶתMa.vetH4194fliesזְב֣וּבֵיze.Vu.veiH2070make aperfumer’sרוֹקֵ֑חַro.Ke.achH7543oilשֶׁ֣מֶןShe.menH8081stinkיַבְאִ֥ישׁyav.'IshH887,so a littleמְעָֽט׃me.'AtH4592foolishnessסִכְל֥וּתsikh.LutH5531is weightierיָקָ֛רya.KarH3368thanH4480wisdomמֵחָכְמָ֥הme.cha.khe.MahH2451andhonorמִכָּב֖וֹדmi.ka.VodH3519.

2A wiseחָכָם֙cha.KhamH2450man’sH2450heartלֵ֤בlevH3820directs himtoward the rightלִֽימִינ֔וֹli.mi.NoH3225,but the foolishH3684man’sH3684heartוְלֵ֥בve.LevH3820directs himtoward the leftלִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃lis.mo.LoH8040.

3Evenוְגַם־ve.gam-H1571whenH7945the foolכְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥לke.she.sa.khalH5530walksהֹלֵ֖ךְho.LekhH1980along the roadבַּדֶּ֛רֶךְba.De.rekhH1870, hissenseלִבּ֣וֹli.BoH3820is lackingחָסֵ֑רcha.SerH2637and hedemonstratesוְאָמַ֥רve.'a.MarH559to everyoneלַכֹּ֖לla.KolH3605thathe is a foolסָכָ֥לsa.KhalH5530.

4Ifאִם־'im-H518the ruler’sהַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ha.mo.ShelH4910temperר֤וּחַRu.achH7307risesתַּעֲלֶ֣הta.'a.LehH5927againstעָלֶ֔יךָ'a.Lei.khaH5921you,do not abandonתַּנַּ֑חta.NachH5117your positionמְקוֹמְךָ֖me.kom.ChaH4725,becauseכִּ֣יkiH3588composureמַרְפֵּ֔אmar.Pe'H4832allaysיַנִּ֖יחַya.Ni.achH5117greatגְּדוֹלִֽים׃ge.do.LimH1419offensesחֲטָאִ֥יםcha.ta.'ImH2399.

5Thereיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426is an evilH7463I have seenרָאִ֖יתִיra.'I.tiH7200underתַּ֣חַתTa.chatH8478the sunהַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshH8121,like an errorכִּשְׁגָגָ֕הkish.ga.GahH7684whichH7945goesH3318forthשֶׁיֹּצָ֖אshei.yo.Tza'H3318from the rulerהַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ha.sha.LitH7989--

6follyהַסֶּ֔כֶלha.Se.khelH5529is setנִתַּ֣ןni.TanH5414in manyרַבִּ֑יםra.BimH7227exaltedH4791placesH4791while richוַעֲשִׁירִ֖יםva.'a.shi.RimH6223menH6223sitיֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ye.She.vuH3427in humbleH8216placesH8216.

7I have seenרָאִ֥יתִיra.'I.tiH7200slavesעֲבָדִ֖ים'a.va.DimH5650ridingon horsesסוּסִ֑יםsu.SimH5483and princesוְשָׂרִ֛יםve.sa.RimH8269walkingהֹלְכִ֥יםho.le.KhimH1980like slavesכַּעֲבָדִ֖יםka.'a.va.DimH5650on the landהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776.

8He who digsחֹפֵ֥רcho.FerH2658a pitגּוּמָּ֖ץgu.MatzH1475may fallיִפּ֑וֹלyi.PolH5307into it, and aserpentנָחָֽשׁ׃na.ChashH5175may biteיִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּyi.she.Khe.nuH5391him who breaksוּפֹרֵ֥ץu.fo.RetzH6555throughH6555a wallגָּדֵ֖רga.DerH1447.

9He who quarriesמַסִּ֣יעַma.Si.a'H5265stonesאֲבָנִ֔ים'a.va.NimH68may be hurtיֵעָצֵ֖בye.'a.TzevH6087by them, and he who splitsבּוֹקֵ֥עַbo.Ke.a'H1234logsעֵצִ֖ים'e.TzimH6086may be endangeredיִסָּ֥כֶןyi.Sa.khenH5533by them.

10Ifאִם־'im-H518theaxeהַבַּרְזֶ֗לha.bar.ZelH1270is dullקֵהָ֣הke.HahH6949and he does not sharpenקִלְקַ֔לkil.KalH7043itsedgeפָנִ֣יםfa.NimH6440, then he mustexertיְגַבֵּ֑רye.ga.BerH1396more strengthוַחֲיָלִ֖יםva.cha.ya.LimH2428.Wisdomחָכְמָֽה׃chokh.mahH2451has the advantageוְיִתְר֥וֹןve.yit.RonH3504of givingH3787successH3787.

11Ifאִם־'im-H518the serpentהַנָּחָ֖שׁha.na.ChashH5175bitesיִשֹּׁ֥ךְyi.ShokhH5391before being charmedלָ֑חַשׁLa.chashH3908,thereH369is noH369profitיִתְר֔וֹןyit.RonH3504for the charmerלְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃le.Va.'al ha.la.ShonH1167 H3956.

12Wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697from the mouthפִי־fi-H6310of a wiseחָכָ֖םcha.KhamH2450manH2450are graciousחֵ֑ןChenH2580,while the lipsוְשִׂפְת֥וֹתve.sif.TotH8193of afoolכְּסִ֖ילke.SilH3684consumeתְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃te.val.le.'E.nuH1104him;

13the beginningתְּחִלַּ֥תte.chi.LatH8462ofhis talkingדִּבְרֵי־div.rei-H1697 H6310is follyסִכְל֑וּתsikh.LutH5531and the endוְאַחֲרִ֣יתve.'a.cha.RitH319ofit is wickedH7463madnessהוֹלֵל֖וּתho.le.LutH1948.

14Yet thefoolוְהַסָּכָ֖לve.ha.sa.KhalH5530multipliesיַרְבֶּ֣הyar.BehH7235wordsדְבָרִ֑יםde.va.RimH1697.Noלֹא־lo'-H3808manהָאָדָם֙ha.'a.DamH120knowsיֵדַ֤עye.Da'H3045whatמַה־mah-H4100will happenשֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔הshei.yih.YehH1961,and whoמִ֖יmiH4310can tellיַגִּ֥ידya.GidH5046himwhatוַאֲשֶׁ֤רva.'a.SherH834will comeיִֽהְיֶה֙yih.YehH1961afterמֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יוme.'a.cha.RavH4480 H310him?

15The toilעֲמַ֥ל'a.MalH5999ofa foolהַכְּסִילִ֖יםha.ke.si.LimH3684soweariesתְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּte.yag.ge.'E.nuH3021him that he does not evenknowיָדַ֖עya.Da'H3045how to goלָלֶ֥כֶתla.Le.khetH1980to a cityעִֽיר׃'IrH5892.

16Woeאִֽי־'i-H337to you, O landאֶ֔רֶץ'E.retzH776,whoseH7945kingשֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְshe.mal.KekhH4428is a ladנָ֑עַרNa.'arH5288and whose princesוְשָׂרַ֖יִךְve.sa.Ra.yikhH8269feastיֹאכֵֽלוּ׃yo.Khe.luH398in the morningבַּבֹּ֥קֶרba.Bo.kerH1242.

17Blessedאַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ'ash.ReikhH835are you, O landאֶ֔רֶץ'E.retzH776,whoseH7945kingשֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְshe.mal.KekhH4428is of nobilityבֶּן־ חוֹרִ֑יםben- cho.RimH1121 H2715and whose princesוְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ve.sa.Ra.yikhH8269eatיֹאכֵ֔לוּyo.Khe.luH398at the appropriate timeבָּעֵ֣תba.'EtH6256--for strengthבִּגְבוּרָ֖הbig.vu.RahH1369and not fordrunkennessבַשְּׁתִֽי׃va.she.TiH8358.

18Throughindolenceבַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִםba.'a.tzal.Ta.yimH6103the raftersהַמְּקָרֶ֑הha.me.ka.RehH4746sagיִמַּ֣ךְyi.MakhH4355,and through slacknessוּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִםu.ve.shif.Lut ya.Da.yimH8220 H3027the houseהַבָּֽיִת׃ha.Ba.yitH1004leaksיִדְלֹ֥ףyid.LofH1811.

19Menprepareעֹשִׂ֣ים'o.SimH6213a mealלֶ֔חֶםLe.chemH3899for enjoymentלִשְׂחוֹק֙lis.chOkH7814, andwineוְיַ֖יִןve.Ya.yinH3196makesH8055lifeH2425merryH8055, andmoneyוְהַכֶּ֖סֶףve.ha.Ke.sefH3701is the answerיַעֲנֶ֥הya.'a.NehH6030to everythingהַכֹּֽל׃ha.KolH3605.

20Furthermoreגַּ֣םgamH1571,in your bedchamberבְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗be.ma.da.'a.KhaH4093do notcurseתְּקַלֵּ֔לte.ka.LelH7043a kingמֶ֚לֶךְMe.lekhH4428,and in your sleepingמִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔mish.Ka.ve.khaH4904roomsוּבְחַדְרֵי֙u.ve.chad.ReiH2315do not curseתְּקַלֵּ֖לte.ka.LelH7043a richעָשִׁ֑יר'a.ShirH6223manH6223,for a birdע֤וֹףofH5775of the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064will carryיוֹלִ֣יךְyo.LikhH1980the soundהַקּ֔וֹלha.KolH6963and the wingedכְּנָפַ֖יִםke.na.fa.yimH3671creature will makeH5046the matterדָּבָֽר׃da.VarH1697knownH5046.

A Little Foolishness

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 10