1 Observations of wisdom and folly: 16 of riot, 18 slothfulness, 19 and money. 20 Men’s thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.
Ecc 10:1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Dead flies. Literally, “flies of death,” that is, flies about to die. Oriental lands are particularly distressed by multitudes of flies and other insect pests. If, at death, a number of them should fall into the perfumed lotion of the perfumer and decompose there, the lotion would be spoiled.
Just one act of folly may ruin a good reputation. A life spent circumspectly may end in ruin as the result of a single foolish deed.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
In some Oriental countries today the left hand is regarded as unclean. The figure here teaches that the unwise man’s thoughts and plans are weak, impracticable, not thought through, and that they lead, accordingly, to misfortune and disappointment.
Ecc 10:3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
That is, when he goes about his business, mingling with other men.
His lack of judgment, reflected in his words and actions, proclaims him a fool, and he in turn thinks others are fools.
Ecc 10:4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
Revering to one’s temper, or disposition of the mind. Do not resign your post of duty. Hasty action taken in a spirit of retaliation reflects emotional instability and a lack of sound judgment; furthermore, the person who takes such action is generally affected adversely.
It is better to endure the temporary displeasure of a superior.
Ecc 10:5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler.
An unwise, autocratic ruler, a despotic administrator, is prone to make errors of judgment. The more power he has, the more widespread are the unfortunate results of these mistakes.
When a prince surrounds himself with unscrupulous favorites, whose only purpose is to flatter, his errors of judgment and conduct will multiply.
Ecc 10:6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
In the affairs of the world the folly of fools is sometimes exalted as wisdom and followed to national disaster.
Low ones. Men who by birth and station in life are natural leaders, ready to serve their country from motives of loyalty, are often ignored and set aside.
Ecc 10:7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
In the time of Solomon only the privileged rode upon horses or mules (2 Sam. 18:9; 1 Kings 1:38; 2 Chron. 25:28; Esther 6:8; Jer. 17:25); men of lower degree used asses for this purpose.
In early Israelite history even kings and princes rode on asses or mules (Judges 5:10; 10:4; cf. 1 Kings 1:33). Princes go on foot like slaves. That is, men of high rank being treated with indignity.
Ecc 10:8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
The statement may refer either to one who plots a conspiracy against the government or to one who plans mischief against a fellow man.
A snake. Crevices in the rough walls in Eastern countries, built without mortar, afford excellent hiding places for such creatures as snakes and scorpions (see Amos 5:19).
Ecc 10:9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
Ecc 10:10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
Adequate preparation for any undertaking results in a better piece of work, accomplished with less effort. Skillful preparation often makes the difference between success and failure. The Christian should seek and make use of the finest tools of spiritual craftsmanship for the task of character construction. Effort alone is insufficient; there must be knowledge as well as zeal (see Rom. 10:2).
Ecc 10:11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.
Ecc 10:12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
Ecc 10:13 At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—
The fool opens his mouth and speaks without thinking of what he says, and so utters nothing but folly (see Prov. 15:2; 17:12; Isa. 32:6). By the time he finishes speaking the fool has made statements that are nothing but nonsense.
Ecc 10:14 and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
Fools babble about anything and everything, with no knowledge of the topics on which they speak. (see 1 Tim. 1:7). It is often difficult to understand, not only what the fool means, but even what he says. Probably the more foolish a man is, the more he will be inclined to make dogmatic statements in regard to the deepest mysteries.
Ecc 10:15 The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.
The fool is so simple that if sent to town on an errand, he will sit down by the roadside, forgetful of his errand, and find himself lost (see Prov. 10:26; 26:6; Eccl. 4:5).
The way to the city, presumably, was clearly marked, so that none but a fool could miss it (see Isa. 35:8).
Ecc 10:16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning.
The emphasis is on youthfulness, an age that is often marked by lack of thought and good sense (see Isa. 3:4).
These “princes” spend time in revelry and vice that should be given to duties of state (see Isa. 5:11; Jer. 21:12).
Ecc 10:17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Eat at the proper time, when the day’s duties have been attended to. According to physical need, not for the sake of indulging appetite, or primarily as a social activity.
Drunkenness. Self-indulgence tends to moral and physical deterioration. Men in high position should set an exalted standard of conduct for themselves, and as an example for others.
Ecc 10:18 Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
The flat roofs of Oriental houses need constant attention. Leaking roofs are commonplace (see Prov. 19:13; 27:15). Similarly, neglect by responsible people will bring a country to ruin.
Ecc 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
Money will procure for its owner almost anything of a material nature.
Ecc 10:20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
An admonition to carefulness in thought and expression. It is generally dangerous to make strong statements about other people, particularly against those in authority (see Ex. 22:28).
A bird. A proverbial expression found in most languages, and varying only in form from one to another. That which hath wings. Literally, “the owner of wings.”