Ecclesiastes 10:5-20 - The Ironies Of Life

⁵ There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:

⁶ Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷ I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.

⁸ He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. ⁹ He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, [and] he who splits wood is endangered thereby. ¹⁰ If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right. ¹¹ If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer. ¹² The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up. ¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. ¹⁴ A fool also multiplies words; [yet] man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? ¹⁵ The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city. ¹⁶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning! ¹⁷ Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! ¹⁸ By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks. ¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things. ²⁰ Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.