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10 Dead flies will make a bottle of perfume stink, and then it is spoiled. A little foolishness outweighs wisdom ⌞and⌟ honor.

Proverbs about Life in General

A wise person’s heart leads the right way. The heart of a fool leads the wrong way. Even when a fool goes walking, he has no sense and shows everyone else that he’s a fool.

If a ruler becomes angry with you, don’t resign your position. If you remain calm, you can make up for serious offenses.

There is a tragedy that I’ve seen under the sun, an error often made by rulers. Foolish people are often given high positions, and rich people are left to fill lower positions. I have seen slaves sitting on horses and influential people going on foot like slaves.

Whoever digs a pit may fall into it. Whoever breaks through a stone wall may be bitten by a snake. Whoever works in a stone quarry may get hurt. Whoever splits wood may be injured.

10 If an ax is blunt and the edge isn’t sharpened, then one has to use more strength. But wisdom prepares the way for success. 11 If a snake bites before it has been charmed, then there is no advantage in being a snake charmer.

12 A wise person’s words win favors, but a fool’s lips are self-destructive. 13 A fool starts out by talking foolishness and ends up saying crazy things that are dangerous. 14 He never stops talking. No one knows what the future will bring, or what will happen after ⌞death⌟. Who can say! 15 Fools wear themselves out with hard work, because they don’t even know the way to town.

16 How horrible it will be for any country where the king used to be a servant and where the high officials throw parties in the morning. 17 A country is blessed when the king is from a noble family and when the high officials eat at the right time in order to get strength and not to get drunk.

18 A roof sags because of laziness. A house leaks because of idle hands.

19 A meal is made for laughter, and wine makes life pleasant, but money is the answer for everything.

20 Don’t curse the king even in your thoughts, and don’t curse rich people even in your bedroom. A bird may carry your words, or some winged creature may repeat what you say.

10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
    so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
    but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as fools walk along the road,
    they lack sense
    and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.
If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
    do not leave your post;(C)
    calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(D)

There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
    the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
Fools are put in many high positions,(E)
    while the rich occupy the low ones.
I have seen slaves on horseback,
    while princes go on foot like slaves.(F)

Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(G)
    whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(H)
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
    whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(I)

10 If the ax is dull
    and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
    but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
    the charmer receives no fee.(J)

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(K)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(L)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(M)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(N)

15 The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](O)
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.(P)

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.(Q)

19 A feast is made for laughter,
    wine(R) makes life merry,
    and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king(S) even in your thoughts,
    or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
    and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child