10:1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a
preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than
great glory of folly.
10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his
left.
10:3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and
all that he thinks of is folly.
10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place;
for soothing will put an end to great offences.
10:5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has
proceeded from the ruler.
10:6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in
a low one.
10:7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on
the earth.
10:8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge
a serpent shall bite.
10:9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood
shall be endangered thereby.
10:10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his
countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in tat case] skill is
of no advantage to a man.
10:11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is
no advantage to the charmer.
10:12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will
swallow him up.
10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his
talk mischievous madness.
10:14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor
what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
10:15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not
to go to the city.
10:16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the
morning!
10:17 Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose
princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
10:18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of
the hands the house will fall to pieces.
10:19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living
should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
10:20 Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in
thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which
has wings shall report thy speech. |
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.
10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his
left.
10:3 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.
10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place;
for yielding pacifieth great offences.
10:5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which
proceedeth from the ruler:
10:6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
10:7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon
the earth.
10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge,
a serpent shall bite him.
10:9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth
wood shall be endangered thereby.
10:10 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.
10:11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no
better.
10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool
will swallow up himself.
10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of
his talk is mischievous madness.
10:14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and
what shall be after him, who can tell him?
10:15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he
knoweth not how to go to the city.
10:16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in
the morning!
10:17 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!
10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of
the hands the house droppeth through.
10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money
answereth all things.
10:20 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. |