Ecclesiastes 10

1Dead flies cause a bad smell and ruin the ointment of the perfumer.[#Or “spew”]

2The heart of the wise inclines to his right,

3Even when the fool walks along the road, he lacks sense;

4If the anger of the ruler rises against you,

5There is an evil I have seen under the sun—

6The fool is set in many high places,

7I have even seen slaves riding on horses

Accidents Happen—Even to Professionals

8Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.

9Whoever quarries stones will be wounded by them.[#Literally “breaks out”]

Hard Work and Skill Alone Cannot Succeed—Wisdom is Necessary

10If the ax is blunt but one does not sharpen its edge,

but the advantage of wisdom is it brings success.

11If the snake bites before the charming,

The Consequences of Foolishness

12The wise man wins favor by the words of his mouth,

13He begins by saying what is foolish

14The fool talks too much,[#Literally “increases words”]

15The fool is so worn out by a hard day’s work

16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth

17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is a son of nobility

18Through sloth the roof sinks in,

19Feasts are held for celebration,[#Literally “They make bread for laughter”]

20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,

for a bird of the sky may carry your voice;

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