Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Dead flies can make even perfume stink. In the same way, a little foolishness can spoil wisdom. The heart of the wise leads to right, but the heart of a fool leads to wrong. Even in the way fools walk along the road, they show they are not wise; they show everyone how stupid they are. Don’t leave your job just because your boss is angry with you. Remaining calm solves great problems. There is something else wrong that happens here on earth. It is the kind of mistake rulers make: Fools are given important positions while gifted people are given lower ones; I have seen servants ride horses while princes walk like servants on foot. Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it; anyone who knocks down a wall might be bitten by a snake; anyone who moves boulders might be hurt by them; and anyone who cuts logs might be harmed by them. A dull ax means harder work. Being wise will make it easier. If a snake bites the tamer before it is tamed, what good is the tamer? The words of the wise bring them praise, but the words of a fool will destroy them. A fool begins by saying foolish things and ends by saying crazy and wicked things. A fool talks too much. No one knows the future, and no one can tell what will happen after death. Work wears fools out; they don’t even know how to get home. How terrible it is for a country whose king is a child and whose leaders eat all morning. How lucky a country is whose king comes from a good family, whose leaders eat only at mealtime and for strength, not to get drunk. If someone is lazy, the roof will begin to fall. If he doesn’t fix it, the house will leak. A party makes you feel good, wine makes you feel happy, and money buys anything. Don’t make fun of the king, and don’t make fun of rich people, even in your bedroom. A little bird might carry your words; a bird might fly and tell what you said.

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