Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 10 ©

1 Observations on wisdom and folly; 16 on the defects and virtues of governors; 18 on slothfulness; 19 on money. 20 Men's thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.

1

1DEAD flies cause the ointment of the *apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: aso doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

a Mat. 5.13. 2Sa. 19.1. 2Ch. 19.2. Je. 12.1,2. 1Ki. 11.1. Ps. 106.33. ch. 2.3.
2

A bwise man's heart is at his right hand; but ca fool's heart at his left.

b Mat. 6.33. Col. 3.1. Lu. 14.28-32.
c Lu. 12.18,19; 18.11.
3

Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, 2his wisdom faileth him, and dhe saith to every one that he is a fool.

d Pr. 6.12-14; 12.23; 13.16; 18.2. 1Pe. 4.4.
4

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, eleave not thy place; for fyielding pacifieth great offences.

e ch. 8.3. Pr. 6.3; 15.1; 25.15. Ro. 13.1.
f 1Sa. 25.24.
5

gThere is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth 3from the ruler:

g ch. 3.16; 4.1,7; 5.13; 6.1.
6

hFolly is set 4in great dignity, iand the rich sit in low place.

h 1Ki. 12.13,14. Es. 3.1. Ps. 12.8.
i He. 11.37,38. Ja. 2.5.
7

jI have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

j Pr. 30.22; 19.20. 2Sa. 15.30.
8

He that kdiggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

k Ps. 7.15,16; 9.15,16. Pr. 26.27. Ac. 28.3. Es. 7.10. Am. 5.19. Ju. 9.53. 2Sa. 17.23; 18.15. 1Ki. 2.25,27,34,46.
9

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that lcleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

l De. 20.19.
10

If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he *put to more strength: but mwisdom is profitable to direct.

m 1Ch. 12.32. 1Ki. 3.9. 2Ch. 19.5. ch. 9.15-18. Ja. 1.5.
11

Surely nthe serpent will bite without enchantment; and 5a babbler is no better.

n Je. 8.17. Ps. 58.5. Pr. 23.32.
12

The owords of a wise man's mouth are 6gracious; pbut the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

o Pr. 15.2; 10.32; 12.13; 22.11. Job 4.3,4; 16.5. Ep. 4.29.
p Pr. 10.8,10,14; 13.3; 12.13; 18.7. Ps. 64.8. Ja. 3.6,8.
13

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of 7his talk is mischievous madness.

14

qA fool also 8is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and rwhat shall be after him, who can tell him?

q Pr. 15.2. ch. 5.3,7.
r ch. 3.22; 6.12; 8.7. Ja. 4.13,14.
15

The slabour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

s Hab. 2.6,13. Is. 47.12; 57.10. v.3.
16

tWoe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

t Is. 3.3-5,12; 5.11,22. Je. 21.12. Pr. 31.4,5. Ho. 7.5-7.
17

uBlessed 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!

u Pr. 29.2,4; 20.26; 31.4,5. Je. 30.21.
18

vBy much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

v Pr. 24.30,31; 12.24,27; 21.25; 19.15; 13.4; 20.4; 23.21. He. 6.11,12.
19

wA feast is made for laughter, and xwine 9maketh merry: ybut money answereth all things.

w Ge. 21.8; 26.30; 29.22; 43.34. Es. 1.5. Da. 5.1.
x Ps. 104.15. 1Ti. 5.23.
y Pr. 14.20. ch. 7.12. 1Ch. 21.24. Is. 8.21.
20

zCurse not the king, no not in thy 10thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for aa bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

a Lu. 19.40.
z Ex. 22.28. Ac. 23.5.