Ecclesiastes 10:10-13 in English

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and in that case skill is of no advantage to a man.

¹¹ If a serpent bite when there is no charmer's whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and in that case skill is of no advantage to a man.

¹¹ If a serpent bite when there is no charmer's whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ If the serpent bite before it be charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If your axe is not sharp DOU, you will need to work harder to cut down a tree, but by being wise, you will succeed.

¹¹ If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.

¹² Wise people say MTY what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say MTY.

¹³ When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.

¹⁰ If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and in that case skill is of no advantage to a man.

¹¹ If a serpent bite when there is no charmer's whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

¹¹ If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

¹³ The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.

¹¹ If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.

¹² The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.

¹³ The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.

¹⁰ If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results.

¹¹ If the snake bites the snake charmer before it's charmed, there's no benefit to the snake charmer!

¹² Wise words are beneficial, but fools destroy themselves by what they say.

¹³ Fools begin by saying foolish things, and end up talking evil nonsense.

¹⁰ If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.

¹¹ If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.

¹² The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.

¹³ The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.

¹¹ If the serpent do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue in charming no preference.—

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth bring grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.

¹⁰ If the axe-head should fall off, Then the man troubles his countenance, And he must put forth more strength: And in that case skill is of no advantage to a man.

¹¹ If a serpent bite when there is no charmer’s whisper, Then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise mouth are gracious: But the lips of a fool will swallow him up.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: And the end of his talk mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put forth more strength; but an advantage for giving success hath wisdom.

¹¹ If a serpent bite before he is charmed, then there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool are his destruction.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If an iron blade is dull, and a man does not sharpen it, then he must use more strength, but wisdom provides an advantage for success.

¹¹ If a snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

¹³ As words begin to flow from a fool's mouth, foolishness comes out, and at the end his mouth flows with wicked madness.

¹⁰ If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.

¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

¹⁰ If iron is folded again, and it is not as before, but is made blunt, it shall be made sharp with much travail; and wisdom shall follow after busyness.

¹¹ If a serpent biteth, it biteth in silence; he that backbiteth privily, hath nothing less than it.

¹² The words of the mouth of a wise man be grace; and the lips of an unwise man shall cast him down.

¹³ The beginning of his words is folly; and the last thing of his mouth is the worst error.

¹⁰ If iron is folded again, and it is not as before, but is made blunt, it shall be made sharp with much travail; and wisdom shall follow after busyness.

¹¹ If a serpent biteth, it biteth in silence; he that backbiteth privily, hath nothing less than it, (or he who privately, or secretly, backbiteth someone is no better).

¹² The words of the mouth of a wise man be grace; and the lips of an unwise man shall cast him down. (The words out of the mouth of a wise person bring him favour; but the lips of an unwise person shall bring him down.)

¹³ The beginning of his words is folly; and the last thing of his mouth is the worst error. (His words begin with foolishness; and the last thing out of his mouth is the worst error of all.)

¹⁰ If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom is advantageous to make right.

¹¹ If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

¹² Words of the mouth of the wise are gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, And the latter end of his mouth Is mischievous madness.