Ecclesiastes

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The Message

Ecclesiastes 10 The Message (MSG)

1. Dead flies in perfume make it stink,And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.

2. Wise thinking leads to right living;Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.

3. Fools on the road have no sense of direction.The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”

4. If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic;A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.

5-7. Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth,An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge:Immaturity is given a place of prominence,While maturity is made to take a backseat.I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style,While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.

8. Caution: The trap you set might catch you.Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.

9. Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous.Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.

10. Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work;Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.

11. If the snake bites before it’s been charmed,What’s the point in then sending for the charmer?

12-13. The words of a wise person are gracious.The talk of a fool self-destructs—He starts out talking nonsenseAnd ends up spouting insanity and evil.

14. Fools talk way too much,Chattering stuff they know nothing about.

15. A decent day’s work so fatigues foolsThat they can’t find their way back to town.

16-17. Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup,And whose princes party all night.Lucky the land whose king is mature,Where the princes behave themselvesAnd don’t drink themselves silly.

18. A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack;A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.

19. Laughter and bread go together,And wine gives sparkle to life—But it’s money that makes the world go around.

20. Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath,And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home.Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around.Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.