Ecclesiastes 10 Summary

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so does a little folly in one who is in reputation for wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left; by the way the fool walks his wisdom fails him, and he calls himself a fool. The Preacher counsels yielding to the ruler's wrath to pacify great offenses. He observes the misplacement of folly in great dignity and riches in low place, seeing servants riding horses and princes walking as servants. He illustrates through examples—digging pits, breaking hedges, removing stones, cleaving wood—that folly brings danger, and shows that wisdom is profitable to direct. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool swallow him up, his words being foolishness ending in mischievous madness.