Ecclesiastes 10:1

In 11 translations

BSB

As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

KJV

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.Dead…: Heb. Flies of death

WEB

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

ASV

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

LSV

Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume || To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!

YLT

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!

DBY

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.

DRC

Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.

GNV

Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.

JPS

Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.

LXXE

Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: and a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.

Word by word Hebrew · tap a word

Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.

Original-language editions

WLC

זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רוֹקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּב֖וֹד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃

LXX-Br

Μυῖαι θανατοῦσαι σαπριοῦσι σκευασίαν ἐλαίου ἡδύσματος· τίμιον ὀλίγον σοφίας ὑπὲρ δόξαν ἀφροσύνης μεγάλην.

In the reference works topics that cite this verse

From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).

Cross-references most cited first

• Matthew 5:13–16You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on…
• Galatians 2:12–14For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his…
• Nehemiah 13:26Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
• Exodus 30:25Prepare from these a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be a sacred anointing oil.
• 2 Chronicles 19:2Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
• Exodus 30:34–35The LORD also said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense—in equal measures, and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.
• Nehemiah 6:13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.

From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).