Ecclesiastes 10, side by side

¹As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

¹Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

²A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.

²A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

³Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

³Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

⁴If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

⁵There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

⁶Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.

⁶Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

⁷I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.

⁷I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

⁸He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.

⁸He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.

⁹Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

¹⁰If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.

¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.

¹¹Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?

¹⁴A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

¹⁵The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

¹⁶Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.

¹⁶Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

¹⁷Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.

¹⁷Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

¹⁸By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

¹⁹A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

²⁰Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.

²⁰Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.