Translation comparison

Ecclesiastes 10

20 aligned verses; 20 with wording or punctuation differences .

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Verse YLT Young's Literal Translation KJV King James Version
Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom -- By reason of honour -- a little folly !
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.
The heart of the wise ` is ' at his right hand , And the heart of a fool at his left.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand ; but a fool's heart at his left.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking , And he hath said to every one , ` He ` is ' a fool. '
Yea 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.
If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not , For yielding quieteth great sinners .
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences .
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler ,
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler :
He hath set the fool in many high places , And the rich in a low place do sit .
Folly is set in great dignity , and the rich sit in low place.
I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it , And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it ; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them .
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby .
If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened , Then doth he increase strength , And wisdom ` is ' advantageous to make right .
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge , then must he put to more strength : but wisdom is profitable to direct .
If the serpent biteth without enchantment , Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue .
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment ; and a babbler is no better .
Words of the mouth of the wise ` are ' gracious , And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious ; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself .
The beginning of the words of his mouth ` is ' folly, And the latter end of his mouth ` Is ' mischievous madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
And the fool multiplieth words: ` Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him? '
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 labour of the foolish wearieth him , In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them , because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Wo to thee, O land, when thy king ` is ' a youth , And thy princes do eat in the morning .
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child , and thy princes eat in the morning !
Happy art thou, O land, When thy king ` is ' a son of freemen , And thy princes do eat in due season, For might , and not for drunkenness .
Blessed 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 !
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop .
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through .
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
A feast is made for laughter , and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .
Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go , And a possessor of wings declareth the word .
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 shall tell the matter .

Scripture text: Young's Literal Translation and King James Version. Public domain.; UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions..