Ecclesiastes 10:1–11

1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,

so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.

2 A wise person chooses the right road;

a fool takes the wrong one.

3 You can identify fools

just by the way they walk down the street!

4 If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit!

A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.

The Ironies of Life

5 There is another evil I have seen under the sun. Kings and rulers make a grave mistake 6 when they give great authority to foolish people and low positions to people of proven worth. 7 I have even seen servants riding horseback like princes—and princes walking like servants!

8 When you dig a well,

you might fall in.

When you demolish an old wall,

you could be bitten by a snake.

9 When you work in a quarry,

stones might fall and crush you.

When you chop wood,

there is danger with each stroke of your ax.

10 Using a dull ax requires great strength,

so sharpen the blade.

That’s the value of wisdom;

it helps you succeed.

11 If a snake bites before you charm it,

what’s the use of being a snake charmer?