Ecclesiastes 9:10-10:4

English Standard Version

¹⁰Whatever your hand finds to do, ^(A)do it with your might,^[a] ^(B)for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

Wisdom Better Than Folly

¹¹^(C)Again I saw that under the sun ^(D)the race is not to the swift, nor ^(E)the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and ^(F)chance ^(G)happen to them all. ¹²For man ^(H)does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and ^(I)like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are ^(J)snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them.

¹³I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. ¹⁴There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. ¹⁵But there was found in it ^(K)a poor, wise man, and he by his ^(L)wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶But I say that ^(M)wisdom is better than might, though ^(N)the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

¹⁷The words of the wise heard in ^(O)quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ¹⁸^(P)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but ^(Q)one sinner destroys much good.

10 Dead flies make ^(R)the perfumer's ointment give off a stench;
    so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
²^(S)A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
    but a fool's heart to the left.
³Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
    and he ^(T)says to everyone that he is a fool.
⁴If the anger of the ruler rises against you, ^(U)do not leave your place,
    ^(V)for calmness^[b] will lay great offenses to rest.