Ecclesiastes 10:6-19

⁶Fools are given leadership positions, while successful men are given low positions.

⁷I have seen slaves riding horses, and successful men walking like slaves on the ground.

⁸Anyone who digs a pit can fall into it, and whenever someone breaks down a wall, a snake can bite him.

⁹Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.

¹⁰If 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.

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

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

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

¹⁴A fool multiplies words, but no one knows what is coming. Who knows what is coming after him?

¹⁵The toil of fools wearies them, so that they do not even know the road to town.

¹⁶Woe to you, land, if your king is a young boy, and if your leaders begin feasting in the morning!

¹⁷But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.

¹⁹People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.