The big picture
Ecclesiastes 10 opens in verse 1 with “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 10 with “If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength…”, and closes in verse 20 with “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for…” Repeated or prominent terms include fool, king, princes, tell, wisdom. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ecclesiastes · King James Version · 20Ecclesiastes 10:1-7
1–7: Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking…
Ecclesiastes 10:1–7 opens with “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a…” and reaches “I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Small folly damaging great work, an unskilled worker using a dull tool, and unstable leadership wasting a city, with particular weight carried by folly, fool, heart.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in…” Naming Dead keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ecclesiastes 10:1-7
King James Version1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
3Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Ecclesiastes 10:8-14
8–14: He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a…
Ecclesiastes 10:8–14 opens with “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” and reaches “A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Small folly damaging great work, an unskilled worker using a dull tool, and unstable leadership wasting a city, with particular weight carried by words, bite, fool.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Ecclesiastes 10:8-14
King James Version8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
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 10:15-20
15–20: The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth…
Ecclesiastes 10:15–20 opens with “The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the…” and reaches “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Small folly damaging great work, an unskilled worker using a dull tool, and unstable leadership wasting a city, with particular weight carried by king, curse, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Ecclesiastes 10:15-20
King James Version15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
20Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ecclesiastes 10:1 begins with “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.”
Where the chapter turns
Ecclesiastes 10:14 forms a natural hinge: “A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?”
The final note
Ecclesiastes 10:20 leaves the reader with “Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words fool, king, princes, tell, wisdom, words help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Why list the nations before introducing Abram?
The blessing promised through Abram will concern the families of the earth, not an isolated group.
What organizes the table?
Families, lands, nations and languages recur, linking people with place and relationship.
KJV words made clear
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
- doth
- does
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.