Ecclesiastes 10: many provebs

 In Ecclesiastes 10 we read:

1 Dead flies in perfume make it stink,

And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.

2 Wise thinking leads to right living;

Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.

3 Fools on the road have no sense of direction.

The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”

4 If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic;

A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.

> The wise must be consistently wise otherwise he will show no sense of direction. It is wise to be calm in front of authorities. It reminds me some investors that are taken as sages: they take good decisions consistently.

5-7 Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth,

An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge:

Immaturity is given a place of prominence,

While maturity is made to take a backseat.

I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style,

While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.

> It is not so uncommon to see a company leader put some fool in charge of good people.

8 Caution: The trap you set might catch you.

Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.

9 Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous.

Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.

10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work;

Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.

11 If the snake bites before it’s been charmed,

What’s the point in then sending for the charmer?

> Be diligent in your work. Prepare what you have to in advange. Have a plan.

12-13 The words of a wise person are gracious.

The talk of a fool self-destructs—

He starts out talking nonsense

And ends up spouting insanity and evil.

14 Fools talk way too much,

Chattering stuff they know nothing about.

15 A decent day’s work so fatigues fools

That they can’t find their way back to town.

> Perhaps I am a fool: I talk too much about stuff I know nothing about to be seen as a wise guy. I want to be wise and talk as a wise guy: in a gracious way.

16-17 Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup,

And whose princes party all night.

Lucky the land whose king is mature,

Where the princes behave themselves

And don’t drink themselves silly.

> How to spot good leaders before buying share of a company? Tip: see how the leaders behave, how they compensate themselves.

18 A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack;

A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.

19 Laughter and bread go together,

And wine gives sparkle to life—

But it’s money that makes the world go around.

20 Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath,

And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home.

Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around.

Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.

> The wise is humble and learns not to gossip.