Ecclesiastes 10-12

New International Reader's Version

10 Dead flies give perfume a bad smell.
    And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.
² The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path.
    But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.
³ Foolish people don’t have any sense at all.
    They show everyone they are foolish.
    They do it even when they are walking along the road.
⁴ Suppose a ruler gets very angry with you.
    If he does, don’t quit your job in the palace.
    Being calm can overcome what you have done against him.

⁵ Here’s something evil I’ve seen on this earth.
    And it’s the kind of mistake that rulers make.
⁶ Foolish people are given many important jobs.
    Rich people are given unimportant ones.
⁷ I’ve seen slaves on horseback.
    I’ve also seen princes who were forced to walk as if they were slaves.

⁸ Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it.
    Anyone who breaks through a wall might be bitten by a snake.
⁹ Anyone who removes stones from rock pits might get hurt.
    Anyone who cuts logs might get wounded.

¹⁰ Suppose the blade of an ax is dull.
    And its edge hasn’t been sharpened.
Then more effort is needed to use it.
    But skill will bring success.

¹¹ Suppose a snake bites before it is charmed.
    Then the snake charmer receives no payment.

¹² Wise people say gracious things.
    But foolish people are destroyed by what their own lips speak.
¹³ At first what they say is foolish.
    In the end their words are very evil.
¹⁴     They talk too much.

No one knows what lies ahead.
    Who can tell someone else what will happen after they are gone?

¹⁵ The work foolish people do makes them tired.
    They don’t even know the way to town.

¹⁶ How terrible it is for a land whose king used to be a servant!
    How terrible if its princes get drunk in the morning!
¹⁷ How blessed is the land whose king was born into the royal family!
    How blessed if its princes eat and drink at the proper time!
    How blessed if they eat and drink to become strong and not to get drunk!

¹⁸ When a person won’t work, the roof falls down.
    Because of hands that aren’t busy, the house leaks.

¹⁹ People laugh at a dinner party.
    And wine makes life happy.
    People think money can buy everything.

²⁰ Don’t say bad things about the king.
    Don’t even think about those things.
Don’t curse rich people.
    Don’t even curse them in your bedroom.
A bird might fly away and carry your words.
    It might report what you said.

³ Clouds that are full of water
    pour rain down on the earth.
A tree might fall to the south or the north.
    It will stay in the place where it falls.
⁴ Anyone who keeps on watching the wind won’t plant seeds.
    Anyone who keeps looking at the clouds won’t gather crops.

⁵ You don’t know the path the wind takes.
    You don’t know how a baby is made inside its mother.
So you can’t understand how God works either.
    He made everything.

⁶ In the morning plant your seeds.
    In the evening keep your hands busy.
You don’t know what will succeed.
    It may be one or the other.
    Or both might do equally well.

⁹ You young people, be happy while you are still young.
    Let your heart be joyful while you are still strong.
Do what your heart tells you to do.
    Go after what your eyes look at.
But I want you to know
    that God will judge you for everything you do.
¹⁰ So drive worry out of your heart.
    Get rid of all your troubles.
    Being young and strong doesn’t have any meaning.

12 Remember your Creator.
    Remember him while you are still young.
Think about him before your times of trouble come.
    The years will come when you will say,
    “I don’t find any pleasure in them.”
² That’s when the sunlight will become dark.
    The moon and the stars will also grow dark.
    And the clouds will return after it rains.
³ Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age.
    That’s when strong men will be bent over.
The women who grind grain will stop because there are so few of them left.
    Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well.
⁴ Remember your Creator before the front doors are closed.
    That’s when the sound of grinding will fade away.
Old people will rise up when they hear birds singing.
    But they will barely hear any of their songs.
⁵ Remember your Creator before you become afraid of places that are too high.
    You will also be terrified because of danger in the streets.
Remember your Creator before the almond trees have buds on them.
    That’s when grasshoppers will drag themselves along.
    Old people will lose their desire.
That’s when people will go to their dark homes in the grave.
    And those who mourn for the dead will walk around in the streets.

⁶ Remember your Creator before the silver cord is cut.
    Remember him before the golden bowl is broken.
The wheel will be broken at the well.
    The pitcher will be smashed at the spring.
⁷ Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from.
    Remember him before your spirit goes back to God who gave it.

⁸ “Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
    “Nothing has any meaning.”

¹³ Everything has now been heard.
    And here’s the final thing I want to say.
Have respect for God and obey his commandments.
    This is what he expects of all human beings.
¹⁴ God will judge everything people do.
    That includes everything they try to hide.
    He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.