13 This too I saw as wisdom under the sun, and [a]it impressed me: 14 there (A)was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siegeworks against it. 15 But there was found in it a (B)poor wise man, and he [b]saved the city (C)by his wisdom. Yet (D)no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “(E)Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are [c]ignored. 17 The (F)words of the wise heard in calm are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 (G)Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but (H)one sinner destroys much good.

A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies turn a (I)perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more [d]potent than wisdom and honor. A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish (J)person’s heart directs him toward the left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his [e]sense is lacking, and he [f](K)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. If the ruler’s [g]temper rises against you, (L)do not abandon your place, because (M)composure puts great offenses to rest.

There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: (N)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. I have seen (O)slaves riding (P)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

(Q)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a (R)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. 10 If the [h]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its [i]edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. 11 If the serpent bites [j](S)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. 12 (T)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a (U)fool consume him; 13 the beginning of [k]his talking is foolishness, and the end of [l]it is evil (V)insanity. 14 Yet the (W)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him (X)what will come after him? 15 The labor of [m]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, land whose (Y)king is a boy, and whose princes [n]feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (Z)drunkenness. 18 Through (AA)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. 19 People prepare a meal for enjoyment, (AB)wine makes life joyful, and (AC)money [o]is the answer to everything. 20 Furthermore, (AD)in your bedroom do not (AE)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 9:13 Lit it was great to me
  2. Ecclesiastes 9:15 Or might have saved
  3. Ecclesiastes 9:16 Lit not listened to
  4. Ecclesiastes 10:1 Lit costly
  5. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit heart
  6. Ecclesiastes 10:3 Lit says
  7. Ecclesiastes 10:4 Lit spirit
  8. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit iron
  9. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit faces
  10. Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit with no incantation
  11. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit the words of his mouth
  12. Ecclesiastes 10:13 Lit his mouth
  13. Ecclesiastes 10:15 Lit fools make
  14. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Lit eat
  15. Ecclesiastes 10:19 Lit answers all

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