Ecclesiastes

Chapter 10

Wisdom and Folly

Ecclesiastes 10 gathers a chain of proverbs showing how a little folly can corrupt wisdom, distort leadership, damage work, and multiply trouble through reckless speech. The chapter contrasts wise restraint with foolish excess in conduct, labor, and rule, revealing how subtle failures of judgment can undo much good in ordinary life under the sun.

This chapter extends Ecclesiastes by applying wisdom to everyday administration, speech, labor, and public life rather than to grand philosophical reflection alone. It shows that wisdom remains practical and necessary in a disordered world, even though folly is often promoted, loudly expressed, and socially destructive.

1 section·177 words·~1 min read

Begin reading Zoom into first section

Reader

Ecclesiastes 10

A continuous BSB reading flow. Turn on the guide when you want authored orientation; leave it off when you simply want the text.

vv. 1-20

Wisdom and Folly

Open section

A¹s dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, ²A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, ³Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, ⁴If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post,

⁵There is an evil I have seen under the sun — ⁶Folly is appointed to great heights, ⁷I have seen slaves on horseback, ⁸He who digs a pit may fall into it, ⁹The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, ¹⁰If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened,

¹¹If the snake bites before it is charmed, ¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, ¹³The beginning of his talk is folly, ¹⁴Yet the fool multiplies words. ¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him,

¹⁶Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, ¹⁷Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, ¹⁸Through laziness the roof caves in, ¹⁹A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, ²⁰Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,

Section map

Open the closer view when you want it.

Each section keeps the passage focused, adds summaries and cross references, and gives verse-level links.

01vv. 1-20Wisdom and FollyThe Teacher strings together observations showing that a small measure of folly can spoil a person's reputation, expose his path, and destabilize households and kingdoms. Wisdom appears in calm endurance, skillful preparation, gracious speech, disciplined leadership, and quiet caution, whereas folly appears in inverted order, reckless talk, lazy neglect, and careless irreverence.