Ecclesiastes · Literal Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 10 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume || To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
1 LAS moscas muertas hacen heder [y] dar mal olor el perfume del perfumista: [así] una pequeña locura, al estimado por sabiduría y honra.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, || And the heart of a fool at his left.
2 El corazón del sabio está á su mano derecha; mas el corazón del necio á su mano izquierda.
3 And also, when he that is a fool || Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, || And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
3 Y aun mientras va el necio por el camino, fálta[le] su cordura, y dice á todos, [que] es necio.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, || For yielding quiets great sinners.
4 Si el espíritu del príncipe se exaltare contra ti, no dejes tu lugar; porque la lenidad hará cesar grandes ofensas.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, || As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
5 Hay un mal que debajo del sol he visto, á manera de error emanado del príncipe:
6 He has set the fool in many high places, || And the rich sits in a low place.
6 La necedad está colocada en grandes alturas, y los ricos están sentados en lugar bajo.
7 I have seen servants on horses, || And princes walking as servants on the earth.
7 Vi siervos en caballos, y príncipes que andaban como siervos sobre la tierra.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, || And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
8 El que hiciere el hoyo caerá en él; y el que aportillare el vallado, morderále la serpiente.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, || Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
9 El que mudare las piedras, trabajo tendrá en ellas: el que cortare la leña, en ella peligrará.
10 If the iron has been blunt, || And he has not sharpened the face, || Then he increases strength, || And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
10 Si se embotare el hierro, y su filo no fuere amolado, hay que añadir entonces más fuerza: empero excede la bondad de la sabiduría.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, || Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
11 Muerde la serpiente cuando no está encantada, y el lenguaraz no es mejor.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, || And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
12 Las palabras de la boca del sabio son gracia; mas los labios del necio causan su propia ruina.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, || And the latter end of his mouth || [Is] mischievous madness.
13 El principio de las palabras de su boca es necedad; y el fin de su charla nocivo desvarío.
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
14 El necio multiplica palabras: no sabe hombre lo que ha de ser; ¿y quién le hará saber lo que después de él será?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, || In that he has not known to go to the city.
15 El trabajo de los necios los fatiga; porque no saben por dónde ir á la ciudad.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, || And your princes eat in the morning.
16 ¡Ay de ti, tierra, cuando tu rey es muchacho, y tus príncipes comen de mañana!
17 Blessed are you, O land, || When your king [is] a son of nobles, || And your princes eat in due season, || For might, and not for drunkenness.
17 ¡Bienaventurada, tú, tierra, cuando tu rey es hijo de nobles, y tus príncipes comen á su hora, por refección, y no por el beber!
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, || And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
18 Por la pereza se cae la techumbre, y por flojedad de manos se llueve la casa.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, || And wine makes life joyful, || And the silver answers with all.
19 Por el placer se hace el convite, y el vino alegra los vivos: y el dinero responde á todo.
20 Even in your mind do not revile a king, || And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, || And a possessor of wings declares the word.
20 Ni aun en tu pensamiento digas mal del rey, ni en los secretos de tu cámara digas mal del rico; porque las aves del cielo llevarán la voz, y las que tienen alas harán saber la palabra.
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)