Chapter Ten

The qualities and behavior of the wise and the fool.

Ecclesiastes 10:1. Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to ferment and become foul; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor in the wise man. Not only can one sinner destroy much good, but even one foolish act, so to speak, a small dose of folly, can shake and destroy the moral worth of a man, his wisdom and honor, like a dead fly fallen into precious ointment. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump,” says the Apostle (1 Cor 5:6).

Ecclesiastes 10:2. The heart of the wise is on the right, and the heart of the fool is on the left. “Right,” “right side,” like in all languages, expresses the notion of truly good, just; “left,” “left side,” on the contrary—the notion of false, evil, unjust.

Ecclesiastes 10:3. Even as the fool walks on the road, his sense fails him, and he declares to all that he is a fool. “As the fool walks on the road, his sense fails him.” More accurately it should be translated: “and on the road, when the fool walks, he lacks sense,” that is, the fool does not take a single step without showing his foolishness. “And he tells all that he is a fool,” that is, he shows to all his foolishness. The translation of Jerome and Symmachus: “he considers everyone to be a fool.”

Ecclesiastes 10:4. If the anger of the ruler bursts upon you, do not leave your post; for gentleness covers great transgressions. The Preacher continues his characterization of the wise and the fool. The wise man should be calm when his ruler becomes angry, should not hasten to leave his post, knowing that unjustified anger of the ruler will pass, that calmness and gentleness disarms people even in cases of serious offenses.

Ecclesiastes 10:5. There is an evil which I saw under the sun, like an error proceeding from the ruler: Ecclesiastes 10:6. folly is set in great heights, and the rich sit in low places. Ecclesiastes 10:7. I saw slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves on foot. Because of the fault of rulers, the foolish and those undeserving of respect remain in humiliation and contempt. Verse 5 can be otherwise conveyed thus: “there is an evil which I saw under the sun, like an error proceeding from the ruler” (Slavonic text—“There is wickedness which I saw under the sun, like it came unwillingly from the face of him who rules”). “The rich sit in low places”; those of noble and distinguished families are meant. The cases pointed out by the Preacher often occurred in the Persian kingdom.

Ecclesiastes 10:8. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. Ecclesiastes 10:9. He who moves stones may hurt himself, and he who chops wood is in danger from it. Ecclesiastes 10:10. If the ax becomes dull, and the blade is not sharpened, then one must exert more strength; wisdom has the advantage of success. The connection of these verses with those preceding is understood differently. Some find here a depiction of those intrigues by which lower and foolish people sought high positions. Others see in these verses a continuation of the characterization of the wise and the fool. Whoever carelessly undertakes risky and dangerous enterprises, whether for his own gain or to the harm of others, easily can damage himself. Wisdom, on the other hand, teaches man to proportion his desires to his abilities, not to waste energy unproductively. It foresees in advance all the danger and difficulty of every enterprise and knows how to prevent them in time. “Wisdom has the advantage of success”; more accurately from the Hebrew: “the advantage of successful action is wisdom.”

Ecclesiastes 10:11. If the serpent bites without being charmed, then the charmer has no advantage. This verse should be translated thus: “If the serpent bites when not charmed, then there is no benefit to the charmer” (Slavonic text—“If the serpent bites without a spell, and there is no benefit to him who charms”). Charming, according to these words, is supposed before the bite. Ps 57:5 speaks of a serpent which bites, not allowing itself to be charmed over. In figurative speech the Preacher points to the uselessness of belated action.

Ecclesiastes 10:12. Words from the mouth of the wise are grace, but the lips of the fool destroy him: Ecclesiastes 10:13. the beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his speech is madness. The talkativeness of the fool extends even to subjects of which a man cannot know, and about which no one will tell him.

Ecclesiastes 10:14. The fool speaks much, although man does not know what will be, and who can tell him what will be after him? Ecclesiastes 10:15. The labor of the fool wears him out, for he does not even know the way to the city. Ignorance of the matter, ignorance of the simplest things, for example, the way to the city, the inability to find protection for his interests from the city judge, makes the labor of the fool tiring and fruitless.

Ecclesiastes 10:16. Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth, and when your princes feast in the morning! Ecclesiastes 10:17. Blessed are you, land, when your king is of a noble house, and your princes feast for strength, not for drunkenness! Especially great is the misfortune that comes from foolish men when they turn out to be kings and rulers. “Your king is a youth,” that is, childish in mind, foolish. In Isaiah (Isa 3:12) bad rulers are called children and women. “Your princes feast in the morning,” that is, they lead a life of intemperance and carelessness (cf. Isa 5:11 and following).

Ecclesiastes 10:18. Through laziness the roof sags, and when hands grow slack, the house leaks. Ecclesiastes 10:19. Feasts are made for laughter, and wine makes life merry; but money answers for everything. As the house of a lazy owner falls into ruin, so a state is destroyed by lazy and intemperate rulers who plunder their people.

Ecclesiastes 10:20. Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich in your bedchamber; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a winged creature may report your words. Having said that foolish and lazy rulers are a misfortune for a country, the Preacher hastens to give practical advice not to condemn even such rulers, for disapproving remarks about them usually find their way by mysterious paths to their ears. * * * The exact translation of the second half of verse 1 should be thus: “heavier than wisdom and honor weighs a little folly,” that is, one foolish, dishonorable act can tarnish the moral worth of a man, turn his wisdom and honor to nothing.