ECCLESIASTES 10 [†] Dead flies make  g the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

2[†]  h A 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  i says to everyone that he is a fool.

4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you,  j do not leave your place,

 k for calmness [1] will lay great offenses to rest.

5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were  l an error proceeding from the ruler: 6[†] m folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 n I have seen slaves  o on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8 He who  p digs a pit will fall into it,

and  q a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.

9  r He who quarries stones is hurt by them,

and he who  s splits 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. [2]

11 If the serpent bites before it is  t charmed,

there is no advantage to the charmer.

12 The words of a wise man’s mouth  u win him favor, [3]

but  v the 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[†]  w A fool multiplies words,

though no man knows what is to be,

and who can tell him  x what will be after him?

15[†] The toil of a fool wearies him,

for he does not know  y the way to the city.

16  z Woe 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  a drunkenness!

18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through indolence the house leaks.

19[†] Bread is made for laughter,

and  b wine gladdens life,

and  c money answers everything.

20 Even in your thoughts,  d do not curse the king,

nor in your  e bedroom curse the rich,

for a bird of the air will carry your voice,

or some winged creature tell the matter.