Ecclesiastes Chapter 10 | KJV & Biblical Hebrew

1

זְבוּבֵ֣י מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֖ישׁ יַבִּ֣יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רוֹקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֤ר מֵחָכְמָה֙ מִכָּב֔וֹד סִכְל֖וּת מְעָֽט׃

KJVDead 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.

Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

2

לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃

KJVA wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

A wise man's heart inclines to his right, but a fool's heart to his left.

3

וְגַ֤ם בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָ֣ל הֹלֵ֔ךְ לִבּ֖וֹ חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃

KJVYea 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.

Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

4

אִם ר֥וּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁ֖ל תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֑יךָ מְקוֹמְךָ֖ אַל תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֤י מַרְפֵּא֙ יַנִּ֣יחַ חֲטָאִ֔ים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃

KJVIf the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

5

יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצֵ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃

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

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler:

6

נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֶּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃

KJVFolly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.

7

רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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

I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

8

חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃

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

He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.

9

מַסִּ֥יעַ אֲבָנִ֖ים יֵעָצֵ֣ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃

KJVWhoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them.

10

אִם קֵהָה֩ הַבַּרְזֶ֨ל וְה֤וּא לֹֽא פָנִים֙ קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְר֥וֹן הַכְשֵׁ֖יר חָכְמָֽה׃

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

If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

11

אִם יִשֹּׁ֧ךְ הַנָּחָ֛שׁ בְּלֹ֥א לָחַ֖שׁ וְאֵ֥ין יִתְר֖וֹן לְבַ֥עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃

KJVSurely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer.

12

דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶ֥נּוּ׃

KJVThe words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him.

13

תְּחִלַּ֣ת דִּבְרֵי פִ֔יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הוֹלֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃

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

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness.

14

וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹֽא יֵדַ֣ע הָאָדָ֔ם מַה שֶּׁיִּהְיֶ֑ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִהְיֶה֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃

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

A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?

15

עֲמַ֤ל הַכְּסִילִים֙ תְּיַגְּעֶ֔נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל עִֽיר׃

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

The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

16

אִֽי לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

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

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!

17

אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֥ךְ בֶּן חוֹרִ֖ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִּֽי׃

KJVBlessed 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!

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 drunkenness!

18

בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֣וּת יָדַ֔יִם יִדְלֹ֖ף הַבָּֽיִת׃

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

Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.

19

לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת הַכֹּֽל׃

KJVA feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.

20

גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּעֲךָ֗ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ אַל תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵ֥י מִשְׁכָּבְךָ֖ אַל תְּקַלֵּ֣ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֡יִם יוֹלִ֤יךְ אֶת הַקּ֙וֹל֙ וּבַ֣עַל כְּנָפַ֔יִם יַגֵּ֖יד דָּבָֽר׃

KJVCurse 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.

Even 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 will tell the matter.

Ecclesiastes — Chapter 10