AB - Ecclesiastes - 10

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 down the road, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.

10:4  If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.

10:5  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error that 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 quarries stones may be hurt by them; and he that splits wood may be endangered by them.

10:10  If the ax-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength; and in that 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. No man knows what has been, nor what will be. Who shall tell him what will come after him?

10:15  The labor of fools will afflict them, as that of one who knows not to go to the city.

10:16  Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!

10:17  Blessed are you, 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 your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.