Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Cross-references
130
- 1Mat 5:13–16, Gal 2:12–14, Exo 30:25, Neh 13:26, 2Ch 19:2, Exo 30:34–35
- 2Luk 12:18–20, Ecc 10:14, Luk 14:28–32, Pro 14:8, Pro 17:16, Ecc 10:10, Ecc 9:10
- 3Pro 18:2, Pro 13:16, Ecc 5:3, Pro 18:6, 1Pe 4:4
- 4Pro 25:15, Ecc 8:3, 1Sa 25:24–44
- 5Ecc 5:13, Ecc 6:1, Ecc 9:3, Ecc 4:7, Ecc 4:1, Ecc 3:16
- 6Pro 28:12, Pro 29:2, Psa 12:8, Est 3:1, 1Ki 12:13–14, Pro 28:28, Jdg 9:14–20, Jas 2:3–5
- 7Pro 19:10, Est 6:8, Pro 30:22
- 8Pro 26:27, Psa 7:15–16, Est 7:10, Amo 5:19, Amo 9:3, Psa 9:15–16, 2Sa 17:23, Jdg 9:53–57
- 10Jas 1:5, Col 4:5, Ecc 10:15, 1Co 14:20, Eph 5:15–17, 1Ki 3:9, Rom 16:19, Gen 41:33–39
- 11Jer 8:17, Psa 58:4–5, Psa 64:3, Psa 52:2, Pro 18:21, Jas 3:6
- 12Col 4:6, Luk 4:22, Pro 15:2, Pro 22:11, Eph 4:29, Pro 10:13–14, Pro 10:20–21, Job 4:3–4
- 131Sa 25:10–11, Pro 29:9, 2Ki 6:31, Luk 6:2, 2Sa 19:41–20:1, Mat 2:7–8, 1Sa 22:7–8, Jdg 14:15
- 14Pro 15:2, Ecc 6:12, Ecc 3:22, Ecc 5:3, Jas 4:13–14, Ecc 8:7, Job 35:16, Pro 10:19
- 15Jer 50:4–5, Isa 57:1, Ecc 10:3, Isa 35:8–10, Psa 107:7, Psa 107:4, Hab 2:6, Ecc 10:10
- 16Isa 3:12, Isa 5:11–12, Isa 3:4–5, Pro 20:1–2, 2Ch 13:7, Jer 21:12, 2Ch 36:5, Isa 28:7–8
- 17Pro 31:4–5, Jer 30:21, Pro 28:2–3, Ecc 10:6–7, Isa 5:11, Deu 14:26
- 18Pro 14:1, Pro 20:4, Pro 24:30–34, Pro 23:21, Pro 21:25, Heb 6:11, Pro 12:24, 2Pe 1:5–10
- 19Psa 104:15, Luk 12:19, Ecc 2:1–2, Isa 23:18, Ecc 7:11–12, Isa 24:11, Psa 112:9, Php 4:15–19
- 20Act 23:5, Luk 12:2–3, 2Ki 6:12, Ecc 7:21–22, Exo 22:28, Luk 19:40, Isa 8:21, Luk 10:40