King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:1

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.

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Hebrew

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זְב֣וּבֵיzevuveflyזְבוּבnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “fly”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2070a fly (especially one of a stinging nature)fly.מָ֔וֶתmavetdeadמָוֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dead”, the ordinary formH4194death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin(be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).יַבְאִ֥ישׁyavishbe abhorredבָּאַשׁverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be abhorred”, an unfinished actionH887to smell bad; figuratively, to be offensive morally(make to) be abhorred (had in abomination, loathsome, odious), (cause a, make to) stink(-ing savour), [idiom] utterly.יַבִּ֖יעַyabiautterנָבַעverb, hiphil, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “utter”, an unfinished actionH5042to gush forth; figuratively, to utter (good or bad words); specifically, to emit (a foul odor)belch out, flowing, pour out, send forth, utter (abundantly).שֶׁ֣מֶןshemenoliveשֶׁמֶןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “olive”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8081grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richnessanointing, [idiom] fat (things), [idiom] fruitful, oil(-ed), ointment, olive, [phrase] pine.רוֹקֵ֑חַroqechaapothecaryרָקַחverb, qal, participle, absolute — “apothecary”, a verb used as a describing wordH7543to perfumeapothecary, compound, make (ointment), prepare, spice.יָקָ֛רyaqarbrightnessיָקָרadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “brightness”, the ordinary formH3368valuable (objectively or subjectively)brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation.מֵחָכְמָ֥הmechakhemahfrom wisdomחׇכְמָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “from wisdom”, the ordinary formH2451wisdom (in a good sense)skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.מִכָּב֖וֹדmikavodfrom gloriousכָּבוֹדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “from glorious”, the ordinary formH3519properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousnessglorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).סִכְל֥וּתsikhlutfollyסִכְלוּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “folly”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5531sillinessfolly, foolishness.מְעָֽטmeatlittleמְעַטadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “little”, the ordinary formH4592a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, [idiom] very.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

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

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

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!

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

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

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

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

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

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