Ecclesiastes 10 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

¹זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רוֹקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּב֖וֹד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃

zevuve mavet yav'ish yabbia shemen rokeach yakar mechakhma mikkavod sikhlut me'at

Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; So doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.

²לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃

lev chakham limino velev kesil lismolo

A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand; but a fool’s understanding at his left.

³וְגַם־בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ כשהסכל [כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל] הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבּ֣וֹ חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃

vegam-badderekh keshessakhal holekh libbo chaser ve'amar lakkol sakhal hu

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

⁴אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקוֹמְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃

im-ruach hammoshel ta'ale alekha mekomkha al-tannach ki marpe yanniach chata'im gedolim

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

⁵יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃

yesh ra'a ra'iti tachat hashamesh kishgaga sheyyotza millifne hashallit

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:

⁶נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃

nittan hassekhel bammeromim rabbim va'ashirim bashefel yeshevu

Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.

⁷רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

ra'iti avadim al-susim vesarim holkhim ka'avadim al-ha'aretz

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

⁸חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃

chofer gumatz bo yippol uforetz gader yishekhennu nachash

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃

massia avanim ye'atzev bahem bokea etzim yissakhen bam

Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

¹⁰אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְר֥וֹן הכשיר [הַכְשֵׁ֖ר] חָכְמָֽה׃

im-keha habbarzel vehu lo-fanim kilkal vachayalim yegabber veyitron hakhsher chakhma

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

¹¹אִם־יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלוֹא־לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְר֔וֹן לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃

im-yishokh hannachash belo-lachash ve'en yitron leva'al hallashon

If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.

¹²דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

divre fi-chakham chen vesiftot kesil tevalle'ennu

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

¹³תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הוֹלֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃

techillat divre-fihu sikhlut ve'acharit pihu holelut ra'a

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.

¹⁴וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃

vehassakhal yarbe devarim lo-yeda' ha'adam ma-sheyyihye va'asher yihye me'acharav mi yaggid lo

A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; And that which shall be after him, Who can tell him?

¹⁵עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃

amal hakkesilim teyagge'ennu asher lo-yada' lalekhet el-ir

The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

¹⁶אִֽי־לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

i-lakh eretz shemmalkekh na'ar vesarayikh babboker yokhelu

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, And thy princes feast in the morning! .

¹⁷אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֨יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃

ashrekh eretz shemmalkekh ben-chorim vesarayikh ba'et yokhelu bigvura velo vasheti

Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, And thy princes eat in due season, In strength, and not in drunkenness!

¹⁸בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃

ba'atzaltayim yimmakh hammekare uveshiflut yadayim yidlof habbayit

By slothfulness the rafters sink in; And through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

¹⁹לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃

lischok osim lechem veyayin yesammach chayyim vehakkesef ya'ane et-hakkol

A feast is made for laughter, And wine maketh glad the life; And money answereth all things.

²⁰גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י ע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ יוֹלִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקּ֔וֹל וּבַ֥עַל הכנפים [כְּנָפַ֖יִם] יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃

gam bemadda'akha melekh al-tekallel uvechadre mishkavkha al-tekallel ashir ki of hashamayim yolikh et-hakkol uva'al kenafayim yagged davar

Curse 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.

World Messianic Bible (English numbering)

¹Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

²A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.

³Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

⁶Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

⁷I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.

⁸He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

⁹Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.

¹⁰If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁴A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.

¹⁶Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

¹⁷Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

²⁰Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

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Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.

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Ecclesiastes 10 קֹהֶלֶת

Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917

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