Ecclesiastes 9:10--11:6

9:10 Whatever you find to do with your hands,

do it with all your might,

because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave,

the place where you will eventually go.

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

9:11 Again, I observed this on the earth:

the race is not always won by the swiftest,

the battle is not always won by the strongest;

prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest,

wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning,

nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge –

for time and chance may overcome them all.

9:12 Surely, no one knows his appointed time!

Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare –

just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.

Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel

9:13 This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth,

and it is a great burden to me:

9:14 There was once a small city with a few men in it,

and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.

9:15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city,

and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom,

but no one listened to that poor man.

9:16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might,

but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.

Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly

9:17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet,

more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools.

9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

10:1 One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench,

so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.

Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers

10:2 A wise person’s good sense protects him,

but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.

10:3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense,

and shows everyone what a fool he is.

10:4 If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position,

for a calm response can undo great offenses.

10:5 I have seen another misfortune on the earth:

It is an error a ruler makes.

10:6 Fools are placed in many positions of authority,

while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.

10:7 I have seen slaves on horseback

and princes walking on foot like slaves.

Wisdom is Needed to Avert Dangers in Everyday Life

10:8 One who digs a pit may fall into it,

and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

10:9 One who quarries stones may be injured by them;

one who splits logs may be endangered by them.

10:10 If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge,

he must exert a great deal of effort;

so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

10:11 If the snake should bite before it is charmed,

the snake charmer is in trouble.

Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools

10:12 The words of a wise person win him favor,

but the words of a fool are self-destructive.

10:13 At the beginning his words are foolish

and at the end his talk is wicked madness,

10:14 yet a fool keeps on babbling.

No one knows what will happen;

who can tell him what will happen in the future?

10:15 The toil of a stupid fool wears him out,

because he does not even know the way to the city.

The Problem with Foolish Rulers

10:16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish,

and your princes feast in the morning!

10:17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility,

and your princes feast at the proper time – with self-control and not in drunkenness.

10:18 Because of laziness the roof caves in,

and because of idle hands the house leaks.

10:19 Feasts are made for laughter,

and wine makes life merry,

but money is the answer for everything.

10:20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts,

and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom;

for a bird might report what you are thinking,

or some winged creature might repeat your words.

Ignorance of the Future Demands Diligence in the Present

11:1 Send your grain overseas,

for after many days you will get a return.

11:2 Divide your merchandise among seven or even eight investments,

for you do not know what calamity may happen on earth.

11:3 If the clouds are full of rain, they will empty themselves on the earth,

and whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, the tree will lie wherever it falls.

11:4 He who watches the wind will not sow,

and he who observes the clouds will not reap.

11:5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman,

so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

11:6 Sow your seed in the morning,

and do not stop working until the evening;

for you do not know which activity will succeed –

whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally.