Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to stink: 'so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.' A fool's heart is at his left; folly is set in great dignity while the rich sit in a low place.

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Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to stink: 'so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.' A fool's heart is at his left; folly is set in great dignity while the rich sit in a low place. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; if the axe be blunt, one must put to more strength: 'but wisdom is profitable to direct.' The fool multiplieth words. 'Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child'; curse not the king, no, not in thy thought: a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

Poetry · Solomon — Ecclesiastes overview

A. 1–11 Dead Flies Spoil the Ointment: a Little Folly Outweighs Wisdom
B. 12–20 Woe to the Land Whose King Is a Child — a Bird Shall Carry the Voice

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Luke 123 verses
- Luke 12:2For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
- Luke 12:18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
- Luke 12:19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
- Read Luke 12 →
Ecclesiastes 102 verses
- Ecclesiastes 10:14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
- Ecclesiastes 10:15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
- Read Ecclesiastes 10 →
Ecclesiastes 82 verses
- Ecclesiastes 8:3Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
- Ecclesiastes 8:7For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
- Read Ecclesiastes 8 →
1 Samuel 252 verses
- 1 Samuel 25:10And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.
- 1 Samuel 25:24And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.
- Read 1 Samuel 25 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Ecclesiastes 52 verses
- Ecclesiastes 5:3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
- Read Ecclesiastes 5 →
Proverbs 292 verses
- Proverbs 29:2When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
- Proverbs 29:9If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
- Read Proverbs 29 →
Colossians 42 verses
- Colossians 4:5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
- Read Colossians 4 →
Isaiah 32 verses
- Isaiah 3:4And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
- Isaiah 3:12As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.
- Read Isaiah 3 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.