10:1Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom -- By reason of honour -- a little folly!

10:2The heart of the wise is at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

10:3And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, `He is a fool.'

10:4If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

10:5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

10:6He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

10:7I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.

10:8Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

10:9Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.

10:10If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom is advantageous to make right.

10:11If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

10:12Words of the mouth of the wise are gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

10:13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, And the latter end of his mouth Is mischievous madness.

10:14And the fool multiplieth words: `Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

10:15The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.

10:16Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.

10:17Happy art thou, O land, When thy king is a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

10:18By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

10:19For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

10:20Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.

11:1Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.

11:2Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.

11:3If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty themselves; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.

11:4Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.

11:5As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, How -- bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.

11:6In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike are good.

11:7Sweet also is the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.

11:8But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming is vanity.

11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.

11:10And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age are vanity!

12:1Remember also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, `I have no pleasure in them.'

12:2While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned after the rain.

12:3In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,

12:4And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And one riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.

12:5Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.

12:6While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.

12:7And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.

12:8Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole is vanity.

12:9And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out -- he made right many similes.

12:10The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written by the upright, words of truth.

12:11Words of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

12:12And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

12:13The end of the whole matter let us hear: -- `Fear God, and keep His commands, for this is the whole of man.

12:14For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'