Ecclesiastes 10:2

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1 Dead¹ flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor;
So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.

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.

Verse Comparison: Ecclesiastes 10:2

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American Standard Version
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Amplified® Bible
A wise man's heart turns him toward his right hand, but a fool's heart toward his left.

Contemporary English Version
Sensible thoughts lead you to do right; foolish thoughts lead you to do wrong.

Darby English Version
The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Good News Bible
It is natural for the wise to do the right thing and for fools to do the wrong thing.

King James Version
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

New American Standard Bible
A wise man's heart {directs him} toward the right, but the foolish man's heart {directs him} toward the left.

New International Version
The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.

New King James Version
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left.

Revised Standard Version
A wise man's heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool's heart toward the left.

Young's Literal Translation
The heart of the wise `is' at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

New English Translation
A wise person’s good sense protects him,¹ but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.²

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