Ecclesiastes · Geneva Bible (1599)
Ecclesiastes 10 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Original 16th-century spelling.
1 Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
6 Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.
10 If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11 If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
12 The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
13 The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
20 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
20 Don’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.
Cross references (19)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 5:13–16; Galatians 2:12–14; Nehemiah 13:26; Exodus 30:25; 2 Chronicles 19:2
- 2 Luke 12:18–20; Ecclesiastes 10:14; Luke 14:28–32; Ecclesiastes 10:10; Proverbs 17:16
- 3 Proverbs 18:2; Proverbs 13:16; Proverbs 18:6; 1 Peter 4:4; Ecclesiastes 5:3
- 4 Proverbs 25:15; Ecclesiastes 8:3; 1 Samuel 25:24–44
- 5 Ecclesiastes 5:13; Ecclesiastes 6:1; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Ecclesiastes 4:7; Ecclesiastes 3:16
- 6 Proverbs 28:12; Proverbs 29:2; Esther 3:1; Psalm 12:8; 1 Kings 12:13–14
- 7 Proverbs 19:10; Esther 6:8; Proverbs 30:22
- 8 Proverbs 26:27; Psalm 7:15–16; Esther 7:10; Amos 5:19; Psalm 9:15–16
- 10 James 1:5; Colossians 4:5; Ecclesiastes 10:15; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Ephesians 5:15–17
- 11 Jeremiah 8:17; Psalm 58:4–5; Psalm 52:2; Psalm 64:3; Proverbs 18:21
- 12 Colossians 4:6; Luke 4:22; Proverbs 15:2; Proverbs 22:11; Ephesians 4:29
- 13 1 Samuel 25:10–11; Proverbs 29:9; 1 Samuel 20:26–33; 1 Samuel 22:7–8; 2 Kings 6:27
- 14 Proverbs 15:2; Ecclesiastes 5:3; James 4:13–14; Ecclesiastes 8:7; Ecclesiastes 3:22
- 15 Isaiah 57:1; Jeremiah 50:4–5; Ecclesiastes 10:3; Psalm 107:7; Psalm 107:4
- 16 Isaiah 3:12; Isaiah 5:11–12; Isaiah 3:4–5; Proverbs 20:1–2; Jeremiah 21:12
- 17 Proverbs 31:4–5; Deuteronomy 14:26; Isaiah 5:11; Ecclesiastes 10:6–7; Jeremiah 30:21
- 18 Proverbs 14:1; Proverbs 24:30–34; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 21:25; Hebrews 6:11
- 19 Psalm 104:15; Philippians 4:15–19; Isaiah 24:11; Ecclesiastes 2:1–2; Luke 12:19
- 20 Acts 23:5; Luke 12:2–3; 2 Kings 6:12; Exodus 22:28; Ecclesiastes 7:21–22
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in season, in fortitude, and not in confusion!" He has called the devil a youth, because of the folly and pride, and rashness and unruliness, and other vices which are wont to abound at that age; but Christ is the Son of nobles, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Therefore saith the Preacher, If the spirit of him that hath power rise up against thee, quit not thy place.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)