Ecclesiastes Chapter 10-12 : American Standard Version | SearchSearch | Next Version| Previous Page | Next Page |

Other Versions10 Ecclesiastes 10

1Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. 3Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.

8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. 9Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. 10If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? 15The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17Happy 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! 18By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. 20Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.


11 Ecclesiastes 11

1Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. 2Give a portion to seven, yea, even unto eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be. 4He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all. 6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 8Yea, if a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.


12 Ecclesiastes 12

1Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; 3in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened, 4and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low; 5yea, they shall be afraid of that which is high, and terrors shall be in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it. 8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

9And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.

11The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are the words of the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.Other Versions