Ecclesiastes 10 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Miscellaneous Observations

10 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor;[a]
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense
and show to everyone that they are fools.(A)
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post,
for calmness will undo great offenses.(B)

5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.(C)7 I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.(D)
9 Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them,
and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt and one does not whet the edge,
then more strength must be exerted,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage in a charmer.(E)

12 Words spoken by the wise bring them favor,
but the lips of fools consume them.(F)
13 The words of their mouths begin in foolishness,
and their talk ends in wicked madness,(G)
14 yet fools talk on and on.
No one knows what is to happen,
and who can tell anyone what the future holds?(H)
15 The toil of fools wears them out,
for they do not even know the way to town.

16 Alas for you, O land, when your king is a child
and your princes feast in the morning!(I)
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman,
and your princes feast at the proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness!(J)
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.(K)
19 Feasts are made for laughter,
wine gladdens life,
and money meets every need.(L)
20 Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich, even in your bedroom,
for a bird of the air may carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 10.1Gk Vg Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

Cross references

  1. 10.3 : Prov 13.16; 18.2
  2. 10.4 : 1 Sam 25.24–33; Prov 25.15; Eccl 8.3
  3. 10.6 : Esth 3.1
  4. 10.8 : Ps 7.15; Prov 26.27
  5. 10.11 : Ps 58.4, 5; Jer 8.17
  6. 10.12 : Prov 10.14, 32; 18.7; Lk 4.22
  7. 10.13 : Eccl 7.25
  8. 10.14 : Prov 15.2; Eccl 3.22; 6.12; 8.7
  9. 10.16 : Isa 3.4, 5, 12; 5.11
  10. 10.17 : Prov 31.4; Isa 5.11
  11. 10.18 : Prov 24.30–34
  12. 10.19 : Ps 104.15; Eccl 7.12
  13. 10.20 : Ex 22.28; 2 Kings 6.12; Lk 12.3; Acts 23.5

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 10 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

10 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom -- By reason of honour -- a little folly! 2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left. 3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacki...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

10 Flies that die (in it), lose the sweetness of [the] ointment. A little folly at some time is more precious than wisdom and glory. (Flies that die in an ointment can destroy its sweetness. And so a little foolishness can sometimes destroy wisdom and glory.) 2 The heart of a wise man is in his righ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - World English Bible (WEB)

10 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - The Voice (VOICE)

10 Teacher: Remember the saying, Dead flies can spoil a good perfume. In the same way, all the wisdom and honor in the world cannot outweigh a moment’s folly.2 Wise people move to the right where they honor the goodness of God’s creation, while fools move to the left and choose to ignore it. Verse ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Wisdom and Folly10 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.2 The heart of the wise is to his right, and the heart of the fool is to his left.3 Even as the fool walks along the way, his heart lacks sense and tells everyone what a fool he is. 4 If a ruler’s...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Miscellaneous Observations10 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off an evil odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool’s heart toward the left.3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to every...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Miscellaneous Observations10 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor;[a] so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.3 Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense and show to everyone that ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New Living Translation (NLT)

10 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. 2 A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. 3 You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street! 4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New Life Version (NLV)

10 Dead flies make a perfume maker’s oil smell bad. So does acting a little foolish weigh more than wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man’s heart leads him toward the right. But the foolish man’s heart leads him toward the left. 3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he has little understanding and show...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Wisdom and Folly10 Dead[a] flies [b]putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,And cause it to give off a foul odor;So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,But a fool’s heart at his left.3 Even when a fool walks along the way,He lacks wisdom,(A)And...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.4 If a ruler’s anger rises against ...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New International Version (NIV)

10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.4 If a ruler’s anger rises aga...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

10 Dead flies give perfume a bad smell. And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.2 The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path. But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.3 Foolish people don’t have any sense at all. They show everyone they are foolish....
Read More

Ecclesiastes 10 - New English Translation (NET)

10 One dead fly[a] makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench,[b]so a little folly can outweigh[c] much wisdom.[d] Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers2 A wise person’s good sense protects him,[e]but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.[f]3 Even when a fool walks al...
Read More