Ecclesiastes 10 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

A Little Foolishness

1 Dead ^H4194 flies ^H2070 turn ^H887 a perfumer’s ^H7543 oil ^H8081 rancid ^H887, so a little ^H4592 foolishness ^H5531 is more ^H4480 [fn]potent ^H3368 than ^H4480 wisdom ^H2451 and honor ^H3519.

2 A wise ^H2450 person’s ^H2450 heart ^H3820 directs him toward the right ^H3225, but the foolish ^H3684 person’s ^H3684 heart ^H3820 directs him toward the left ^H8040. 3 Even ^H1571 when ^H7945 the fool ^H5530 walks ^H1980 along the road ^H1870, his [fn]sense ^H3820 is lacking ^H2637, and he [fn]demonstrates ^H559 to everyone ^H3605 that he is a fool ^H5530. 4 If ^H518 the ruler’s ^H4910 [fn]temper ^H7307 rises ^H5927 against ^H5921 you, do not abandon ^H5117 your place ^H4725, because ^H3588 composure ^H4832 puts ^H5117 great ^H1419 offenses ^H2399 to ^H5117 rest ^H5117.

5 There ^H3426 is ^H3426 an evil ^H7451 I have seen ^H7200 under ^H8478 the sun ^H8121, like a mistake ^H7684 that proceeds ^H3318 from the ruler ^H7989: 6 foolishness ^H5529 is set ^H5414 in many ^H7227 exalted ^H4791 places ^H4791 while the rich ^H6223 sit ^H3427 in humble ^H8216 places ^H8216. 7 I have seen ^H7200 slaves ^H5650 riding on horses ^H5483 and princes ^H8269 walking ^H1980 like slaves ^H5650 on the land ^H776.

8 One who digs ^H2658 a pit ^H1475 may fall ^H5307 into it, and a serpent ^H5175 may bite ^H5391 one who breaks ^H6555 through ^H6555 a wall ^H1447. 9 One who quarries ^H5265 stones ^H68 may be hurt ^H6087 by them, and one who splits ^H1234 logs ^H6086 may be endangered ^H5533 by them. 10 If ^H518 the [fn]axe ^H1270 is dull ^H6949 and he does not sharpen ^H7043 its [fn]edge ^H6440, then he must exert ^H1396 more strength ^H2428. Wisdom ^H2451 has the advantage ^H3504 of bringing ^H3787 success ^H3787. 11 If ^H518 the serpent ^H5175 bites ^H5391 [fn]before being charmed ^H3908, there ^H369 is ^H369 no ^H369 benefit ^H3504 for the charmer ^H1167 H3956. 12 Words ^H1697 from the mouth ^H6310 of a wise ^H2450 person ^H2450 are gracious ^H2580, while the lips ^H8193 of a fool ^H3684 consume ^H1104 him; 13 the beginning ^H8462 of [fn]his talking ^H1697 H6310 is foolishness ^H5531, and the end ^H319 of [fn]it is evil ^H7451 insanity ^H1948. 14 Yet the fool ^H5530 multiplies ^H7235 words ^H1697. No ^H3808 person ^H120 knows ^H3045 what ^H4100 will happen ^H1961, and who ^H4310 can tell ^H5046 him what ^H834 will come ^H1961 after ^H4480 H310 him? 15 The labor ^H5999 of [fn]a fool ^H3684 makes him so weary ^H3021 that he does not even know ^H3045 how to go ^H1980 to a city ^H5892. 16 Woe ^H337 to you, land ^H776 whose ^H7945 king ^H4428 is a boy ^H5288, and whose princes ^H8269 [fn]feast ^H398 in the morning ^H1242. 17 Blessed ^H835 are you, land ^H776 whose ^H7945 king ^H4428 is of nobility ^H1121 H2715, and whose princes ^H8269 eat ^H398 at the appropriate time ^H6256—for strength ^H1369 and not for drunkenness ^H8358. 18 Through extreme ^H6103 laziness ^H6103 the rafters ^H4746 sag ^H4355, and through idleness ^H8220 H3027 the house ^H1004 leaks ^H1811. 19 People prepare ^H6213 a meal ^H3899 for enjoyment ^H7814, wine ^H3196 makes ^H8055 life ^H2416 joyful ^H8055, and money ^H3701 [fn]is the answer ^H6030 to everything ^H3605. 20 Furthermore ^H1571, in your bedroom ^H4702 do not curse ^H7043 a king ^H4428, and in your sleeping ^H4904 rooms ^H2315 do not curse ^H7043 a rich ^H6223 person ^H6223; for a bird ^H5775 of the sky ^H8064 will bring ^H1980 the sound ^H6963, and the winged ^H3671 one ^H1167 will make ^H5046 your word ^H1697 known ^H5046.