Ecc 10 | ESV | STEP | Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench ; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor .

Ecclesiastes 10

1 Dead flies make ^athe perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 ^bA wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he ^csays to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, ^ddo not leave your place,
^efor calmness ^{▼▼Hebrew healing} will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were ^gan error proceeding from the ruler: 6 ^hfolly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 ⁱI have seen slaves ^jon horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8 He who ^kdigs a pit will fall into it,
and ^la serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 ^mHe who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who ⁿsplits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed. ^{▼▼Or wisdom is an advantage for success}
11 If the serpent bites before it is ^pcharmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth ^qwin him favor, ^{▼▼Or are gracious}
but ^sthe lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 ^tA fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him ^uwhat will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know ^vthe way to the city.
16 ^wWoe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
and your princes feast at the proper time,
for strength, and not for ^xdrunkenness!
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and ^ywine gladdens life,
and ^zmoney answers everything.
20 Even in your thoughts, ^aado not curse the king,
nor in your ^abbedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.