Ecclesiastes 10
The Folly of a Simpleminded Fool
10Dead flies make a aperfumer’s oil stink, so a little simpleminded folly is weightier than wisdom and honor. 2A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish aman’s heart directs him toward the left. 3Even when the simpleminded fool walks along the road, his heart lacks wisdom, and he asays to all that he is a simpleminded fool. 4If the ruler’s 1temper rises against you, ado not abandon your position, because bcalmness causes great offenses to be abandoned.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake which goes forth from the one in power— 61,afolly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. 7I have seen aslaves riding bon horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8aHe who digs a pit may fall into it, and a bserpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10If the 1axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must 2exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. 11If the serpent bites 1,abefore being charmed, there is no advantage for the charmer. 12aWords from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a bfool swallow him up; 13the beginning of the words of his mouth is simpleminded folly, and the end of what comes from his mouth is evil amadness. 14Yet the asimpleminded fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him bwhat will come after him? 15The labor of 1a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16Woe to you, O land, whose aking is a young man and whose princes 1eat in the morning. 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for might and not for adrinking. 18Through aindolence the beams sag, and through slack hands the house leaks. 19Men prepare bread for laughter, and awine makes life glad, and bmoney 1is the answer to everything. 20Furthermore, ain your bedchamber do not bcurse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the sky will bring the sound and the winged creature will tell the matter.