Ecclesiastes 10:16–17

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,

and your princes feast in the morning!

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!

Woe to the land whose king was a servant

and whose princes feast in the morning.

Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth

and whose princes eat at a proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness.

Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth

and your princes feast in the morning.

Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles

and your princes feast at the proper time—

for strength and not for drunkenness.

What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant,

the land whose leaders feast in the morning.

Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader

and whose leaders feast at the proper time

to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth

and your princes feast in the morning.

Blessed are you, O land, when your king is a son of nobility

and your princes feast at the proper time—

to gain strength and not to get drunk.

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