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Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
New International Version
10 If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.(A)
12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(B)
but fools are consumed by their own lips.(C)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14 and fools multiply words.(D)
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(E)
15 The toil of fools wearies them;
they do not know the way to town.
16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](F)
and whose princes feast in the morning.
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.(G)
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.(H)
19 A feast is made for laughter,
wine(I) makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20 Do not revile the king(J) 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.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child
Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
King James Version
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
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Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
New King James Version
Ecclesiastes 10:10-20
New King James Version
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom [a]brings success.
11 A serpent may bite (A)when it is not charmed;
The [b]babbler is no different.
12 (B)The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
But (C)the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 (D)A fool also multiplies words.
No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him (E)what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!
16 (F)Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,
And your (G)princes feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness!
18 Because of laziness the [c]building decays,
And (H)through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
And (I)wine makes merry;
But money answers everything.
20 (J)Do not curse the king, even in your thought;
Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
For a bird of the air may carry your voice,
And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit. is a successful advantage
- Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit. master of the tongue
- Ecclesiastes 10:18 Lit. rafters sink
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.