Ecclesiastes 9:17-12:8
King James Version
17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
10 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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.
11 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
12 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 9:17-12:8
English Standard Version
17 The words of the wise heard in (A)quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 (B)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but (C)one sinner destroys much good.
10 Dead flies make (D)the perfumer's ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 (E)A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool's heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he (F)says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, (G)do not leave your place,
(H)for calmness[a] will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were (I)an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 (J)folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 (K)I have seen slaves (L)on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 He who (M)digs a pit will fall into it,
and (N)a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 (O)He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who (P)splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.[b]
11 If the serpent bites before it is (Q)charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth (R)win him favor,[c]
but (S)the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 (T)A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him (U)what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know (V)the way to the city.
16 (W)Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Happy 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 (X)drunkenness!
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and (Y)wine gladdens life,
and (Z)money answers everything.
20 Even in your thoughts, (AA)do not curse the king,
nor in your (AB)bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
Cast Your Bread upon the Waters
11 (AC)Cast your bread upon the waters,
(AD)for you will find it after many days.
2 (AE)Give a portion to (AF)seven, or even to eight,
(AG)for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
3 If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth,
and if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the way (AH)the spirit comes to (AI)the bones in the womb[d] of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening (AJ)withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to (AK)see the sun.
8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember (AL)that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is (AM)vanity.[e]
9 (AN)Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. (AO)Walk in the ways of your heart and (AP)the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things (AQ)God will bring you into judgment.
10 Remove vexation from your heart, and (AR)put away pain[f] from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
12 Remember also your Creator in (AS)the days of your youth, before (AT)the evil days come and the years draw near of which (AU)you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before (AV)the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and (AW)those who look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and (AX)the doors on the street are shut—when (AY)the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all (AZ)the daughters of song are brought low— 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and (BA)terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,[g] and desire fails, because man is going to his (BB)eternal (BC)home, and the (BD)mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or (BE)the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is (BF)shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and (BG)the dust returns to the earth as it was, and (BH)the spirit returns to God (BI)who gave it. 8 (BJ)Vanity[h] of vanities, says (BK)the Preacher; all is vanity.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:4 Hebrew healing
- Ecclesiastes 10:10 Or wisdom is an advantage for success
- Ecclesiastes 10:12 Or are gracious
- Ecclesiastes 11:5 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Targum; most Hebrew manuscripts As you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb
- Ecclesiastes 11:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verse 10 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or evil
- Ecclesiastes 12:5 Or is a burden
- Ecclesiastes 12:8 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (three times in this verse); see note on 1:2
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
