Ecclesiastes 10
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1Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.1זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רוֹקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּב֖וֹד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃
2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.2לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃
3Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.3וְגַם־ בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ [כשהסכל] (כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל‪‬) הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבּ֣וֹ חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃
4If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.4אִם־ ר֤וּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקוֹמְךָ֖ אַל־ תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:5יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃
6Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.6נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃
7I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.7רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־ סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃
8He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.8חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃
9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.9מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃
10If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.10אִם־ קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־ פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְר֥וֹן הַכְשֵׁ֖ר‪‬(הכשיר*הַכְשֵׁ֖ר‪‬) חָכְמָֽה׃
11A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.11אִם־ יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלוֹא־ לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְר֔וֹן לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃
12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;12דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־ חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃
13The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness.13תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־ פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הוֹלֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃
14A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?14וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־ יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־ שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃
15The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city!15עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־ עִֽיר׃
16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!16אִֽי־ לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃
17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!17אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־ חוֹרִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃
18Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.18בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃
19A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.19לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־ הַכֹּֽל׃
20Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.20גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־ תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־ תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י ע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יוֹלִ֣יךְ אֶת־ הַקּ֔וֹל וּבַ֥עַל [הכנפים] (כְּנָפַ֖יִם) יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.
Ecclesiastes 9
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