Ecclesiastes 10:5

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3 Even when a fool walks along the way,
He lacks wisdom,
^aAnd he shows everyone that he is a fool.

4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,
^aDo not leave your post;
For ^bconciliation pacifies great offenses.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
As an error proceeding from the ruler:

6 ^aFolly is set in¹ great dignity,
While the rich sit in a lowly place.

7 I have seen servants ^aon horses,
While princes walk on the ground like servants.

8 ^aHe who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.

9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,
And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.

10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom¹ brings success.

11 A serpent may bite ^awhen it is not charmed;
The¹ babbler is no different.

12 ^aThe words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
But ^bthe 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 ^aA fool also multiplies words.
No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him ^bwhat will be after him?

15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!

16 ^aWoe 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 ^aprinces feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness!

18 Because of laziness the¹ building decays,
And ^athrough idleness of hands the house leaks.

19 A feast is made for laughter,
And ^awine makes merry;
But money answers everything.

20 ^aDo 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.

Verse Comparison: Ecclesiastes 10:5

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Ecclesiastes 10:6 >>

American Standard Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Amplified® Bible
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceeds from the ruler:

Contemporary English Version
Some things rulers do are terribly unfair:

Darby English Version
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:

Good News Bible
Here is an injustice I have seen in the world---an injustice caused by rulers.

King James Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

New American Standard Bible
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler--

New International Version
There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:

New King James Version
There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
As an error proceeding from the ruler:

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
I have seen an evil under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler--

Revised Standard Version
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler:

Young's Literal Translation
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

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