Ecclesiastes 10

A Little Foolishness

1Dead flies turn a 1perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more 2potent than wisdom and honor. 2A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish 3person’s heart directs him toward the left. 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his 4sense is lacking, and he 56demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. 4If the ruler’s 7temper rises against you, 8do not abandon your place, because 9composure puts great offenses to rest.

5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: 610foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. 7I have seen 11slaves riding 12on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

813One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a 14serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. 9One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10If the 15axe is dull and he does not sharpen its 16edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. 11If the serpent bites 1718before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. 1219Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a 20fool consume him; 13the beginning of 21his talking is foolishness, and the end of 22it is evil 23insanity. 14Yet the 24fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him 25what will come after him? 15The labor of 26a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16Woe to you, land whose 27king is a boy, and whose princes 28feast in the morning. 17Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time--for strength and not for 29drunkenness. 18Through 30extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19People prepare a meal for enjoyment, 31wine makes life joyful, and 32money 33is the answer to everything. 20Furthermore, 34in your bedroom do not 35curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.