Ecclesiastes 10

Tree of Life Version

⁴ If a ruler’s spirit rises up against you,
    do not leave your post,
for composure allays great offences.
⁵ There is a wrong I have seen under the sun
    like an error proceeding from a ruler.
⁶ Fools are placed in many high positions,
    while the rich sit in low ones.
⁷ I have seen slaves on horses,
    and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

⁸ Whoever digs a pit may fall into it,
and whoever breaks through a fence may be bitten by a snake.
⁹ Whoever quarries stones may be hurt by them,
and whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
¹⁰ If the iron axe is blunt
    and one doesn’t sharpen the edge,
then he must exert more force.
So wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed,
    there is no profit for the charmer.
¹² Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,
    but the lips of a fool destroy him.
¹³ The words from his mouth begin as folly
    and end as grievous madness—
¹⁴ and the fool multiplies words.

No one knows what will happen,
    and who can tell him what will happen after him?
¹⁵ The mischief of fools wearies them
    for he doesn’t know how to go to town.

¹⁶ Oy to you, O land, when your king is a youth^[a]
    and your princes feast in the morning.
¹⁷ Happy are you, O land, when your king is a son of nobles,
    and your princes eat at the proper time—
    in self-control and not in drunkenness!

¹⁸ By laziness the rafters sag,
    and by idle hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter,
    and wine makes life glad—
but money is the answer for everything.

²⁰ Do not ridicule the king—even in your thoughts,
    nor curse the rich in your bedroom.
For a bird of the air may carry your voice,
    and a winged creature may report your words.