Ecclesiastes 10
1Dead flies cause the perfumerʼs shemen to send forth a foul odor; 1 so doth a little sichlut outweigh chochmah and kavod. 1
2A chachamʼs lev is at his yamin (right hand); 1 but a kesilʼs lev is at his semol (left hand). 1
3Yea also, when he that is a kesil 1 even walketh along the derech, his sense faileth him, 1 and he saith to every one that he is a kesil. 1
4If the ruach of the moshel rise up against thee, 1 leave not thy mekom; 1 for calmness pacifieth chatta'im gedolim.
5There is a ra'ah which I have seen under the shemesh, the sort of error which proceedeth from a shalit (ruler);
6Sekhel (folly) is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7I have seen avadim (servants) upon susim, and sarim (princes) walking as avadim upon ha'aretz. 1
8He that diggeth a gumatz (pit) shall fall into it; 1 and whoso breaketh through a wall, a nachash shall bite him. 1
9Whoso pulleth out avanim (stones) may be hurt therewith; 1 and he that cleaveth wood may be endangered thereby. 1
10If the barzel (iron) + 10:10 of the axe be blunt, 1 and he do not whet the edge, 1 then must more strength be marshalled; 1 but chochmah brings success. 1
11If the nachash will bite before it is charmed, 1 there is no use in a charmer. 1
12The words of a chachamʼs mouth are chen (gracious); 1 but the lips of a kesil will swallow up himself. 1
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is sichlut; 1 and the end of his talk is holelot ra'ah. 1
14A kesil also is full of devarim; 1 haAdam has no da'as of what shall be, 1 and what shall be after him, 1 who can tell him? 1
15The amal of the kesilim wearieth him, 1 because he has no da'as of how to go to town. 1
16Woe to thee, O eretz, when thy melech is a na'ar, 1 and thy sarim (princes) feast in the boker! 1
17Blessed art thou, O eretz, when thy melech is a nobleman, 1 and thy sarim (princes) eat in due season, 1 for strength, and not for drunkenness! 1
18By much atzlut (slothfulness) the rafters falleth; 1 and through idleness of the hands the bais leaketh. 1
19Lechem is made for laughter, 1 and yayin maketh merry; 1 but kesef answereth everything. 1
20Curse not the Melech, no not in thy thought; 1 and curse not the oisher in thy bedchamber; 1 for an Oph haShomayim may carry the voice, 1 and that which hath wings may report what you say.