Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:19

English Standard Version

Wisdom Better Than Folly

¹¹^(A)Again I saw that under the sun ^(B)the race is not to the swift, nor ^(C)the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and ^(D)chance ^(E)happen to them all. ¹²For man ^(F)does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and ^(G)like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are ^(H)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 ^(I)a poor, wise man, and he by his ^(J)wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶But I say that ^(K)wisdom is better than might, though ^(L)the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.

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

10 Dead flies make ^(P)the perfumer's ointment give off a stench;
    so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
²^(Q)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 ^(R)says to everyone that he is a fool.
⁴If the anger of the ruler rises against you, ^(S)do not leave your place,
    ^(T)for calmness^[a] will lay great offenses to rest.

⁵There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were ^(U)an error proceeding from the ruler: ⁶^(V)folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷^(W)I have seen slaves ^(X)on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

⁸He who ^(Y)digs a pit will fall into it,
    and ^(Z)a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
⁹^(AA)He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
    and he who ^(AB)splits logs is endangered by them.
¹⁰If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
    he must use more strength,
    but wisdom helps one to succeed.^[b]
¹¹If the serpent bites before it is ^(AC)charmed,
    there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹²The words of a wise man's mouth ^(AD)win him favor,^[c]
    but ^(AE)the lips of a fool consume him.
¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
    and the end of his talk is evil madness.
¹⁴^(AF)A fool multiplies words,
    though no man knows what is to be,
    and who can tell him ^(AG)what will be after him?
¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him,
    for he does not know ^(AH)the way to the city.

¹⁶^(AI)Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
    and your princes feast in the morning!
¹⁷Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
    and your princes feast at the proper time,
    for strength, and not for ^(AJ)drunkenness!
¹⁸Through sloth the roof sinks in,
    and through indolence the house leaks.
¹⁹Bread is made for laughter,
    and ^(AK)wine gladdens life,
    and ^(AL)money answers everything.