1 The Folly of a Simpleminded Fool Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little simpleminded folly is weightier than wisdomandhonor.
2 A wise man’s heartdirects himtoward the right, but the foolish man’s heartdirects himtoward the left.
3 Even when the simpleminded fool walks along the road, his heart lackswisdom, and he says to allthathe is a simpleminded fool.
4 If the ruler’s 10:4 Lit spirit temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because calmness causes great offenses to be abandoned.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake which goes forth from the one in power—
6 10:6Or simpleminded folly, cf. Eccl 1:17; 2:3, 12, 13; 10:1, 13 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
7 I have seen slavesridingon horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If the 10:10Lit iron axe is dull and he does not sharpenitsedge, then he must 10:10Lit strengthen exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
11 If the serpent bites 10:11Lit without enchantment before being charmed, there is no advantage for the charmer.
12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool swallow him up;
13 the beginning of the words of his mouth is simpleminded folly, and the end ofwhat comes fromhis mouth is evil madness.
14 Yet the simpleminded fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 The labor of 10:15Lit fools a foolsowearies him that he does notevenknow how to go to a city.
16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a young man and whose princes 10:16Or feast eat in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for might and not for drinking.
18 Through indolence the beams sag, and through slack hands the house leaks.
19 Menprepare bread for laughter, and wine makes life glad, and money 10:19Lit answers all is the answer to everything.
20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse 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.