Ecclesiastes 10

Bishops^{(i) 1} A dead flye doth corrupt sweete oyntment, and maketh it to stinke: Euen so oft tymes he that hath ben had in estimation for wysdome and honour, is abhorred because of a litle foolishnesse ² A wyse mans heart is vpon his right hande, but a fooles heart vpon his left ³ A foole wyll shewe him selfe when he goeth by the way, yet thinketh he that euery man doth as foolishly as him self ⁴ If a principall spirite be geuen thee to beare rule, be not negligent then in thine office: for he that can take cure of him selfe, auoydeth great offences ⁵ Another plague is there whiche I haue seene vnder the sunne, namely, the ignoraunce that is commonly among princes: in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath ⁶ in that a foole sitteth in great dignitie, and the riche are set downe beneath ⁷ I haue seene seruauntes ride vpon horses, and princes goyng vpon their feete as it were seruauntes ⁸ But he that diggeth vp a pitte, shall fall therin hym selfe: and who so breaketh downe the hedge, a serpent shall byte hym ⁹ Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: and he that heweth wood, shalbe hurt therwith ¹⁰ When an iron is blunt and the poynt not sharpened, it must be whet agayne, and that with might: Euen so doth wisdome folowe diligence ¹¹ A backbiter is no better then a serpent that stingeth without hissing ¹² The wordes out of a wyse mans mouth are gratious: but the lippes of a foole wyll destroy him selfe ¹³ The beginning of his talking is foolishnesse: & the last worde of his mouth is starke madnesse ¹⁴ A foole is full of wordes, and a man can not tell what shall come to passe: who wyll then warne hym of it that shall folowe after hym ¹⁵ The labour of the foolishe is greeuous vnto them, whyle they know not howe to go into the citie ¹⁶ Wo be vnto thee O thou lande, whose kyng is but a chylde, and whose princes are early at their bankettes ¹⁷ But well is thee O thou lande, whose kyng is come of nobles, and whose princes eate in due season for necessitie, and not for lust ¹⁸ Thorowe slouthfulnesse the balkes fall downe, and thorowe idle handes it rayneth in at the house ¹⁹ Meate maketh men to laugh, and wine maketh them merie: but vnto money are all thinges obedient ²⁰ Wishe the king no euil in thy thought, and speake no hurt of the riche in thy priuie chaumber: for a byrde of the ayre shall betray thy voyce, and with her fethers shall she bewray thy wordes