Ecclesiastes 10

A Little Foolishness

1DeadH4194 fliesH2070 turnH887 a 1perfumer’sH7543 oilH8081 rancidH887, so a littleH4592 foolishnessH5531 is moreH4480 2potentH3368 thanH4480 wisdomH2451 and honorH3519. 2A wiseH2450 person’sH2450 heartH3820 directs him toward the rightH3225, but the foolishH3684 3person’sH3684 heartH3820 directs him toward the leftH8040. 3EvenH1571 whenH7945 the foolH5530 walksH1980 along the roadH1870, his 4senseH3820 is lackingH2637, and he 56demonstratesH559 to everyoneH3605 that he is a foolH5530. 4IfH518 the ruler’sH4910 7temperH7307 risesH5927 againstH5921 you, 8do not abandonH5117 your placeH4725, becauseH3588 9composureH4832 putsH5117 greatH1419 offensesH2399 toH5117 restH5117.

5ThereH3426 isH3426 an evilH7463 I have seenH7200 underH8478 the sunH8121, like a mistakeH7684 that proceedsH3318 from the rulerH7989: 610foolishnessH5529 is setH5414 in manyH7227 exaltedH4791 placesH4791 while the richH6223 sitH3427 in humbleH8216 placesH8216. 7I have seenH7200 11slavesH5650 riding 12on horsesH5483 and princesH8269 walkingH1980 like slavesH5650 on the landH776.

813One who digsH2658 a pitH1475 may fallH5307 into it, and a 14serpentH5175 may biteH5391 one who breaksH6555 throughH6555 a wallH1447. 9One who quarriesH5265 stonesH68 may be hurtH6087 by them, and one who splitsH1234 logsH6086 may be endangeredH5533 by them. 10IfH518 the 15axeH1270 is dullH6949 and he does not sharpenH7043 its 16edgeH6440, then he must exertH1396 more strengthH2428. WisdomH2451 has the advantageH3504 of bringingH3787 successH3787. 11IfH518 the serpentH5175 bitesH5391 1718before being charmedH3908, thereH369 isH369 noH369 benefitH3504 for the charmerH1167H3956. 1219WordsH1697 from the mouthH6310 of a wiseH2450 personH2450 are graciousH2580, while the lipsH8193 of a 20foolH3684 consumeH1104 him; 13the beginningH8462 of 21his talkingH1697H6310 is foolishnessH5531, and the endH319 of 22it is evilH7463 23insanityH1948. 14Yet the 24foolH5530 multipliesH7235 wordsH1697. NoH3808 personH120 knowsH3045 whatH4100 will happenH1961, and whoH4310 can tellH5046 him 25whatH834 will comeH1961 afterH4480H310 him? 15The laborH5999 of 26a foolH3684 makes him so wearyH3021 that he does not even knowH3045 how to goH1980 to a cityH5892. 16WoeH337 to you, landH776 whoseH7945 27kingH4428 is a boyH5288, and whose princesH8269 28feastH398 in the morningH1242. 17BlessedH835 are you, landH776 whoseH7945 kingH4428 is of nobilityH1121H2715, and whose princesH8269 eatH398 at the appropriate timeH6256--for strengthH1369 and not for 29drunkennessH8358. 18Through 30extremeH6103 lazinessH6103 the raftersH4746 sagH4355, and through idlenessH8220H3027 the houseH1004 leaksH1811. 19People prepareH6213 a mealH3899 for enjoymentH7814, 31wineH3196 makesH8055 lifeH2425 joyfulH8055, and 32moneyH3701 33is the answerH6030 to everythingH3605. 20FurthermoreH1571, 34in your bedroomH4702 do not 35curseH7043 a kingH4428, and in your sleepingH4904 roomsH2315 do not curseH7043 a richH6223 personH6223; for a birdH5775 of the skyH8064 will bringH1980 the soundH6963, and the wingedH3671 oneH1167 will makeH5046 your wordH1697 knownH5046.