from Crossway1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. (Ex 30:25)2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. (Ec 2:14)3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. (Pr 13:16; Pr 18:2)4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness[1] will lay great offenses to rest. (1Sa 25:24; 1Sa 25:32; Pr 25:15; Ec 8:3)5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: (Ec 5:6)6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. (Es 3:1; Pr 28:12; Pr 29:2)7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. (Es 6:8; Pr 19:10; Pr 30:22)8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. (Ps 7:15; Am 5:19)9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. (De 19:5; 1Ch 22:2)10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.[2]11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. (Jer 8:17)12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,[3] but the lips of a fool consume him. (Pr 10:32; Pr 18:7; Pr 22:11; Lu 4:22)13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness.14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? (Pr 15:2; Ec 3:22)15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. (Isa 35:8)16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! (2Ch 13:7; Isa 3:4; Isa 3:12)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 drunkenness! (Pr 31:4; Isa 5:11)18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. (Ps 104:15; Ec 7:12)20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. (Ex 22:28; 2Ki 6:12; Lu 12:3)
Ecclesiastes 10
New International Version
from Biblica1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.2The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.3Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.4If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offences to rest.5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:6fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.7I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.9Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.10If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.11If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.13At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness –14and fools multiply words. No-one knows what is coming – who can tell someone else what will happen after them?15The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.16Woe to the land whose king was a servant[1] and whose princes feast in the morning.17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time – for strength and not for drunkenness.18Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.19A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.20Do not revile the king 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.
Ecclesiastes 10
New International Reader’s Version
from Biblica1Dead flies give perfume a bad smell. And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.2The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path. But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.3Foolish people don’t have any sense at all. They show everyone they are foolish. They do it even when they are walking along the road.4Suppose a ruler gets very angry with you. If he does, don’t quit your job in the palace. Being calm can overcome what you have done against him.5Here’s something evil I’ve seen on this earth. And it’s the kind of mistake that rulers make.6Foolish people are given many important jobs. Rich people are given unimportant ones.7I’ve seen slaves on horseback. I’ve also seen princes who were forced to walk as if they were slaves.8Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it. Anyone who breaks through a wall might be bitten by a snake.9Anyone who removes stones from rock pits might get hurt. Anyone who cuts logs might get wounded.10Suppose the blade of an axe is dull. And its edge hasn’t been sharpened. Then more effort is needed to use it. But skill will bring success.11Suppose a snake bites before it is charmed. Then the snake charmer receives no payment.12Wise people say gracious things. But foolish people are destroyed by what their own lips speak.13At first what they say is foolish. In the end their words are very evil.14They talk too much. No one knows what lies ahead. Who can tell someone else what will happen after they are gone?15The work foolish people do makes them tired. They don’t even know the way to town.16How terrible it is for a land whose king used to be a servant! How terrible if its princes get drunk in the morning!17How blessed is the land whose king was born into the royal family! How blessed if its princes eat and drink at the proper time! How blessed if they eat and drink to become strong and not to get drunk!18When a person won’t work, the roof falls down. Because of hands that aren’t busy, the house leaks.19People laugh at a dinner party. And wine makes life happy. People think money can buy everything.20Don’t say bad things about the king. Don’t even think about those things. Don’t curse rich people. Don’t even curse them in your bedroom. A bird might fly away and carry your words. It might report what you said.
Ecclesiastes 10
King James Version
1Dead 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.2A wise man' heart is at his right hand; but a fool' heart at his left.3Yea 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.4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.12The words of a wise man' mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!17Blessed 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!18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .20Curse 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.
1Sterbende Fliegen - da stinkt und gärt sogar das duftende Öl für die Schönheitspflege; / schwerer als Wissen und Geltung wiegt eine kleine Dummheit.2Der Verstand des Gebildeten wählt den rechten Weg, / der Verstand des Ungebildeten den linken; (Pr 15:7; Ec 2:14)3doch der Dumme - welchen Weg er auch einschlägt -, / ihm fehlt der Verstand, / obwohl er von jedem andern gesagt hat: Er ist dumm. (Pr 13:16)
Gelassenheit
4Wenn der Herrscher gegen dich in Zorn gerät, bewahre die Ruhe; / denn Gelassenheit bewahrt vor großen Fehlern![1] (Pr 16:14; Pr 25:15; Ec 8:2)
Ungerechte Behandlung bei Hof
5Es gibt etwas Schlimmes, das ich unter der Sonne beobachtet habe - solch ein Versehen, wie es vom Machthaber zu kommen pflegt:6Die Dummheit wurde auf höchste Posten gestellt / und Reiche müssen unten sitzen. (Pr 30:22)7Ich habe Sklaven hoch zu Pferd gesehen / und Fürsten, die wie Sklaven zu Fuß gehen mussten. (Es 6:8)
Lauernde Gefahren
8Wer eine Grube gräbt, kann hineinfallen, / wer eine Mauer einreißt, den kann die Schlange beißen, (Ps 7:16; Ps 9:16; Ps 35:8; Ps 57:7; Pr 26:27; Sir 27:26)9wer Steine bricht, kann sich dabei verletzen, / wer Holz spaltet, bringt sich dadurch in Gefahr.
Anwendung des Wissens
10Wenn die Axt stumpf geworden ist / und ihr Benutzer hat sie nicht vorher geschliffen, / dann braucht er mehr Kraft - / Wissen hätte ihm den Vorteil gebracht, dass er sein Werkzeug vorbereitet hätte.11Der Schlangenbeschwörer hat keinen Vorteil, / wenn die Schlange beißt, bevor er sie beschworen hat. (Ps 58:5; Jer 8:17; Sir 12:13)
Der Ungebildete
12Worte aus dem Mund des Gebildeten finden Beifall, / aber die Lippen eines Ungebildeten verschlingen ihn selbst. (Job 29:11; Pr 10:32; Pr 15:2; Sir 21:16)13Wenn er redet, steht Dummheit am Anfang, / am Ende schlimme Verblendung. (Pr 14:1; Pr 18:7)14Und der Dumme redet endlos. Dabei kann doch der Mensch nicht erkennen, was geschehen wird. Und was nach ihm geschieht - wer verkündet es ihm? (Pr 21:23; Ec 5:2; Ec 6:12; Jas 1:14)15Die Arbeit erschöpft die Ungebildeten: Keiner hat es verstanden, in die Stadt zu ziehen.
Königshof und Schicksal des Volks
16Weh dir, Land, / dessen König ein Knabe ist / und dessen Fürsten schon früh am Morgen tafeln.[2] (1Ki 3:7; Pr 31:4; Isa 3:4; Isa 5:11; Jer 1:6; La 5:8)17Wohl dir, Land, / dessen König von edlem Geschlecht ist
und dessen Fürsten zur richtigen Zeit tafeln, / beherrscht und nicht wie Zecher.
Faulheit
18Ist einer träge, so senkt sich das Gebälk, / lässt er die Hände sinken, so dringt der Regen ins Haus. (Pr 6:6; Pr 20:4; Sir 22:1)
Geld
19Man schlemmt und will dabei lachen, / der Wein erfreut die Lebenden, / das Geld macht alles möglich. (Ps 104:15; Sir 31:12)
Vom Reden über Mächtige
20Nicht einmal in Gedanken / schimpf auf den König, / nicht einmal im Schlafzimmer schimpf auf einen Reichen;
denn die Vögel des Himmels können dein Wort verbreiten, / alles, was Flügel hat, / könnte die Nachricht weitermelden. (2Ki 6:12)