Ecclesiastes 10

A Little Foolishness

1DeadH4194 fliesH2070 make a 1perfumer’sH7543 oilH8081 stinkH887, so a littleH4592 foolishnessH5531 is weightierH3368 thanH4480 wisdomH2451 and honorH3519. 2A wiseH2450 man’sH2450 heartH3820 directs him toward the rightH3225, but the foolishH3684 2man’sH3684 heartH3820 directs him toward the leftH8040. 3EvenH1571 whenH7945 the foolH5530 walksH1980 along the roadH1870, his 3senseH3820 is lackingH2637 and he 45demonstratesH559 to everyoneH3605 that he is a foolH5530. 4IfH518 the ruler’sH4910 6temperH7307 risesH5927 againstH5921 you, 7do not abandonH5117 your positionH4725, becauseH3588 8composureH4832 allaysH5117 greatH1419 offensesH2399.

5ThereH3426 is an evilH7463 I have seenH7200 underH8478 the sunH8121, like an errorH7684 whichH7945 goesH3318 forthH3318 from the rulerH7989-- 69follyH5529 is setH5414 in manyH7227 exaltedH4791 placesH4791 while richH6223 menH6223 sitH3427 in humbleH8216 placesH8216. 7I have seenH7200 10slavesH5650 riding 11on horsesH5483 and princesH8269 walkingH1980 like slavesH5650 on the landH776.

812He who digsH2658 a pitH1475 may fallH5307 into it, and a 13serpentH5175 may biteH5391 him who breaksH6555 throughH6555 a wallH1447. 9He who quarriesH5265 stonesH68 may be hurtH6087 by them, and he who splitsH1234 logsH6086 may be endangeredH5533 by them. 10IfH518 the 14axeH1270 is dullH6949 and he does not sharpenH7043 its edgeH6440, then he must 15exertH1396 more strengthH2428. WisdomH2451 has the advantageH3504 of givingH3787 successH3787. 11IfH518 the serpentH5175 bitesH5391 1617before being charmedH3908, thereH369 is noH369 profitH3504 for the charmerH1167H3956. 1218WordsH1697 from the mouthH6310 of a wiseH2450 manH2450 are graciousH2580, while the lipsH8193 of a 19foolH3684 consumeH1104 him; 13the beginningH8462 of 20his talkingH1697H6310 is follyH5531 and the endH319 of 21it is wickedH7463 22madnessH1948. 14Yet the 23foolH5530 multipliesH7235 wordsH1697. NoH3808 manH120 knowsH3045 whatH4100 will happenH1961, and whoH4310 can tellH5046 him 24whatH834 will comeH1961 afterH4480H310 him? 15The toilH5999 of 25a foolH3684 so weariesH3021 him that he does not even knowH3045 how to goH1980 to a cityH5892. 16WoeH337 to you, O landH776, whoseH7945 26kingH4428 is a ladH5288 and whose princesH8269 27feastH398 in the morningH1242. 17BlessedH835 are you, O landH776, whoseH7945 kingH4428 is of nobilityH1121H2715 and whose princesH8269 eatH398 at the appropriate timeH6256--for strengthH1369 and not for 28drunkennessH8358. 18Through 29indolenceH6103 the raftersH4746 sagH4355, and through slacknessH8220H3027 the houseH1004 leaksH1811. 19Men prepareH6213 a mealH3899 for enjoymentH7814, and 30wineH3196 makesH8055 lifeH2425 merryH8055, and 31moneyH3701 32is the answerH6030 to everythingH3605. 20FurthermoreH1571, 33in your bedchamberH4093 do not 34curseH7043 a kingH4428, and in your sleepingH4904 roomsH2315 do not curseH7043 a richH6223 manH6223, for a birdH5775 of the heavensH8064 will carryH1980 the soundH6963 and the wingedH3671 creature will makeH5046 the matterH1697 knownH5046.