Ecclesiastes10

American Standard Version · Public Domain

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¹Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

²A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

³Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

⁶folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

⁷I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.

⁸He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

¹⁶Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

¹⁷Happy 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!

¹⁸By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

²⁰Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

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Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ecclesiastes 10.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: To preserve a character for wisdom. (1-3). Respecting subjects and rulers. (4-10). Of foolish talk. (11-15). Duties of rulers and subjects. (16-20).

vv1-3

Those especially who make a profession of religion, should keep from all appearances of evil. A wise man has great advantage over a fool, who is always at a loss when he has anything to do. Sin is the reproach of sinners, wherever they go, and shows their folly.

vv4-10

Solomon appears to caution men not to seek redress in a hasty manner, nor to yield to pride and revenge. Do not, in a passion, quit thy post of duty; wait awhile, and thou wilt find that yielding pacifies great offences. Men are not preferred according to their merit. And those are often most forward to offer help, who are least aware of the difficulties, or the consequences. The same remark is applied to the church, or the body of Christ, that all the members should have the same care one for another.

vv11-15

There is a practice in the East, of charming serpents by music. The babbler's tongue is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison; and contradiction only makes it the more violent. We must find the way to keep him gentle. But by rash, unprincipled, or slanderous talk, he brings open or secret vengeance upon himself. Would we duly consider our own ignorance as to future events, it would cut off many idle words which we foolishly multiply. Fools toil a great deal to no purpose. They do not understand the plainest things, such as the entrance into a great city. But it is the excellency of the way to the heavenly city, that it is a high-way, in which the simplest wayfaring men shall not err, 8. But sinful folly makes men miss that only way to happiness.