12 (A)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a (B)fool consume him; 13 the beginning of [a]his talking is foolishness, and the end of [b]it is evil (C)insanity. 14 Yet the (D)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him (E)what will come after him? 15 The labor of [c]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, land whose (F)king is a boy, and whose princes [d]feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (G)drunkenness. 18 Through (H)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19 People prepare a meal for enjoyment, (I)wine makes life joyful, and (J)money [e]is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, (K)in your bedroom do not (L)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit the words of his mouth
  2. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit his mouth
  3. Ecclesiastes 10:15 Lit fools make
  4. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Lit eat
  5. Ecclesiastes 10:19 Lit answers all

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(A)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(B)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(C)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(D)

15 The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](E)
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.(F)

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.(G)

19 A feast is made for laughter,
    wine(H) makes life merry,
    and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king(I) even in your thoughts,
    or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
    and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child

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

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

14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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

17 Blessed 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!

18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

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

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