Scripture Daily

Context No. 667 of 4322 · Ecclesiastes

Context · Reflection

Ecclesiastes 10:1-10: in context

1Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. 2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left. 3Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. 4If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest. 5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler. 6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth. 8He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it. 10If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.

Ecclesiastes is the Preacher's long look at life under the sun, and by chapter 10 the argument has loosened into a string of proverbs set side by side. The first is the sharpest. As dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stink, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. Earlier the book had said a good name is better than fine ointment (7:1); now it shows how cheaply that ointment is spoiled. It does not take much rot. A few dead flies will turn the whole jar.

The proverbs that follow watch a world tipped over. Folly is seated in high places and the rich sit low; servants ride horses while princes walk. A man digs a pit and falls into it, breaks through a wall and is bitten by the snake in it. And then a plain one about work: a blunt ax makes you swing harder, but a sharpened edge, wisdom applied, does the job. The Preacher will not build these into a system. He just keeps noticing that good is fragile and folly is potent, and that a little skill saves a great deal of force.

A few dead flies can ruin a whole jar of good ointment. What small, tolerated folly of mine is quietly turning the work of years?

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