Ecclesiastes 10:5-19

⁵I also realized there's another evil here on earth: rulers make a big mistake

⁶when they put fools in high positions, while those who are richly qualified are put in low positions.

⁷I've seen slaves riding on horseback, while princes walk on the ground like slaves.

⁸If you dig a pit, you could fall in. If you knock down a wall, you could be bitten by a snake.

⁹If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.

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

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

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

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

¹⁴Fools talk on and on, however no one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?

¹⁵Work makes fools so worn out they can't achieve anything.

¹⁶You're in trouble if the king of your country is young, and if your leaders are busy feasting from early morning.

¹⁷You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.

¹⁸Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.

¹⁹A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.