Ecclesiastes 10:12-20

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

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

¹⁴A fool moreover multiplies words: Man knows not what has been, nor what will be: Who shall tell him what will come after him?

¹⁵The labor of fools will afflict them, As that of one who knows not to go to the city.

¹⁶Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, And thy princes eat in the morning!

¹⁷Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, And whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, And shall not be ashamed.

¹⁸By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: And by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.

¹⁹Men prepare bread for laughter, And wine and oil that the living should rejoice: But to money all things will humbly yield obedience.

²⁰Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; And curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: For a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, And that which has wings shall report thy speech.