Ecclesiastes 10

¹ Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink and ferment;
a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

² A wise person's heart inclines to the right,
but a fool's heart to the left.

³ Even when a fool walks on the road,
his heart lacks wisdom,
and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you,
do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

⁵ There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error from a ruler:

⁶ Folly is set in many high places,
and the rich sit in a low place.

⁷ I have seen servants on horses,
and princes walking on the ground like servants.

⁸ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.

⁹ Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them,
and whoever splits logs is endangered by them.

¹⁰ If the iron is blunt and one does not sharpen the edge,
one must apply more strength;
but wisdom helps one to succeed.

¹¹ If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor,
but the lips of a fool consume him.

¹³ The beginning of his talk is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is wicked madness.

¹⁴ Yet a fool multiplies words.
No one knows what is to be,
and who can tell him what will be after him?

¹⁵ The labor of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.

¹⁶ 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 eat at the proper time,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through laziness of hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ Bread is made for laughter,
and wine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.

²⁰ Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature will tell the matter.