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Kohelet 10
Orthodox Jewish Bible
Kohelet 10
Orthodox Jewish Bible
10 Dead flies cause the perfumer’s shemen to send forth a foul odor; so doth a little sichlut outweigh chochmah and kavod.
2 A chacham’s lev is at his yamin (right hand); but a kesil’s lev is at his semol (left hand).
3 Yea also, when he that is a kesil even walketh along the derech, his sense faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a kesil.
4 If the ruach of the moshel rise up against thee, leave not thy mekom; for calmness pacifieth chata’im gedolim.
5 There is a ra’ah which I have seen under the shemesh, the sort of error which proceedeth from a shalit (ruler);
6 Sekhel (folly) is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen avadim (servants) upon susim, and sarim (princes) walking as avadim upon ha’aretz.
8 He that diggeth a gumatz (pit) shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a nachash shall bite him.
9 Whoso pulleth out avanim (stones) may be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood may be endangered thereby.
10 If the barzel (iron [of the axe]) be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must more strength be marshalled; but chochmah brings success.
11 If the nachash will bite before it is charmed, there is no use in a charmer.
12 The words of a chacham’s mouth are chen (gracious); but the lips of a kesil will swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is sichlut; and the end of his talk is holelot ra’ah.
14 A kesil also is full of devarim; haAdam has no da’as of what shall be, and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The amal of the kesilim wearieth him, because he has no da’as of how to go to town.
16 Woe to thee, O eretz, when thy melech is a na’ar, and thy sarim (princes) feast in the boker!
17 Blessed art thou, O eretz, when thy melech is a nobleman, and thy sarim (princes) eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By much atzlut (slothfulness) the rafters falleth; and through idleness of the hands the bais leaketh.
19 Lechem is made for laughter, and yayin maketh merry; but kesef answereth everything.
20 Curse not the Melech, no not in thy thought; and curse not the oisher in thy bedchamber; for an Oph haShomayim may carry the voice, and that which hath wings may report what you say.
Ecclesiastes 10
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 10
New International Version
10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3 Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;(C)
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(D)
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6 Fools are put in many high positions,(E)
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.(F)
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(G)
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(H)
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(I)
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.(J)
12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(K)
but fools are consumed by their own lips.(L)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14 and fools multiply words.(M)
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(N)
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](O)
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.(P)
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.(Q)
19 A feast is made for laughter,
wine(R) makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not revile the king(S) 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.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child
Ecclesiastes 10
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 10
English Standard Version
10 Dead flies make (A)the perfumer's ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 (B)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 (C)says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, (D)do not leave your place,
(E)for calmness[a] will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were (F)an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 (G)folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 (H)I have seen slaves (I)on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 He who (J)digs a pit will fall into it,
and (K)a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 (L)He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who (M)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 (N)charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth (O)win him favor,[c]
but (P)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 (Q)A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell him (R)what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know (S)the way to the city.
16 (T)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 (U)drunkenness!
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and (V)wine gladdens life,
and (W)money answers everything.
20 Even in your thoughts, (X)do not curse the king,
nor in your (Y)bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:4 Hebrew healing
- Ecclesiastes 10:10 Or wisdom is an advantage for success
- Ecclesiastes 10:12 Or are gracious
Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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