{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/drb/ecclesiastes/10","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-29T22:35:50.558Z"},"reference":{"translation":"DRB","book":"Ecclesiastes","bookSlug":"ecclesiastes","chapter":10,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":9,"nextChapter":11,"totalChapters":12,"totalVerses":20},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly. "},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand. "},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools. "},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease. "},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince: "},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath. "},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants. "},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him. "},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them. "},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom. "},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly. "},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong. "},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error. "},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him? "},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city. "},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning. "},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness. "},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through. "},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money. "},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said. "}],"citation":{"inline":"Ecclesiastes 10 (DRB)","markdown":"[Ecclesiastes 10](https://primebible.com/drb/ecclesiastes/10)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* DRB. https://primebible.com/drb/ecclesiastes/10 (accessed 2026-05-29)."}}