Ecclesiastes 10

Great(i) 1 A Deed flye doth corrupt swete oyntement & maketh it to stynk: Euen so oft tymes he that is made for wysdome & honour, is abhorred because of a lytle foolishnes. 2 A wyse mans herte is vpon the ryght hande, but a fooles herte vpon the left. 3 A foole will shewe him self when he goeth by the way, yet thinkethe he that euery man doth as foolyshly as him selfe. 4 If a principal sprete be geuen the to beare rule, be not necgligent then in thine office: for he that can take cure of him selfe, auoydeth great offences. 5 Another plage is there, which I haue sene vnder the sonne: namely, the ignoraunce that is commenly amonge princes: 6 in that a foole sytteth in greate dignite, & the rych are sett downe beneth: 7 I haue sene seruauntes ryde vpon horses, and princes goyng vpon their fete as it were seruauntes. 8 But he that dyggeth vp a pyt, shal fall therin him selfe: and who so breaketh downe the hedge, a serpent shall byte hym. 9 Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: & he that heweth wood, shalbe hurt therwith. 10 When an yron is blont, and the poynt not sharpened, it must be whet agayne, and that wt myght: Euen so doth wysdome folowe diligence. 11 A babler of hys tonge is no better, then a serpent that styngeth wythout hyssynge. 12 The wordes out of a wyse mans mouth are gracious, but the lyppes of a foole wyll destroye him selfe. 13 The beginnyng of his talkynge is foolyshnes, & the last worde of his mouth is starke madnesse. 14 A foole is full of wordes, & a man cannot tell what shall come to passe: who wyll then warne him of it that shall folow after him? 15 The laboure of the folysh is greuous vnto them, whyle they knowe not howe to go into the citye. 16 Wo be vnto the (O thou lande) whose kynge is but a child, and whose princes are early at their banckettes. 17 But well is the (O thou lande) whose kynge is come of nobles, & whose princes eate in due season, for necessyte & not for lust. 18 Thorow slouthfulnesse the balckes fall downe, & thorow ydle handes it rayneth in at the house. 19 Meat maketh men to laugh, and wyne maketh them mery: but vnto money are all thinges obedient. 20 Wish the kyng no euell in thy thought & speake no hurte of the ryche in thy preuy chambre: for a byrd of the ayre shall betraye thy voyce, and with hir fethers shal she bewraye thy wordes.