Ecclesiastes 10 · Verse 1

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.
Ecclesiastes 10:1, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 10:1 in other translations

BSBAs dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
WEBDead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
ASVDead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
YLTDead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom--By reason of honour--a little folly!
DARBYDead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink and ferment; so a little folly is weightier than wisdom and honour.
BBEDead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
WebsterDead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth an offensive odor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.

What does Ecclesiastes 10:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Ec 10:1-20. 1. Following up Ec 9:18. him that is in reputation--for example, David (2Sa 12:14); Solomon (1Ki 11:1-43); Jehoshaphat (2Ch 18:1-34; 19:2); Josiah (2Ch 35:22). The more delicate the perfume, the more easily spoiled is the ointment. Common oil is not so liable to injury. So the higher a man's religious character is, the more hurt is caused by a sinful folly in him. Bad savor is endurable in oil, but not in what professes to be, and is compounded by the perfumer ("apothecary") for, fragrance. "Flies" answer to "a little folly" (sin), appropriately, being small (1Co 5:6); also, "Beelzebub" means prince of flies. "Ointment" answers to "reputation" (Ec 7:1; Ge 34:30). The verbs are singular, the noun plural, implying that each of the flies causes the stinking savor.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Observations on wisdom and folly, Ecc 10:1-3. Concerning right conduct towards rulers, Ecc 10:4. Merit depressed, and worthlessness exalted, Ecc 10:5-7. Of him who digs a pit and removes a landmark, Ecc 10:8, Ecc 10:9. The use of wisdom and experience, Ecc 10:10. Of the babbler and the fool, Ecc 10:11-15. The infant king, Ecc 10:16. The well-regulated court, Ecc 10:17. Of slothfulness, Ecc 10:18. Of feasting, Ecc 10:19. Speak not evil of the king, Ecc 10:20. Verse 1 Dead flies - Any putrefaction spoils perfume; and so a foolish act ruins the character of him who has the reputation of being wise and good. Alas! alas! in an unguarded moment how many have tarnished the reputation which they were many years in acquiring! Hence, no man can be said to be safe, till he is taken to the paradise of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 10:1-3
To preserve a character for wisdom. (Eccl. 10:1-3) Respecting subjects and rulers. (Eccl. 10:4-10) Of foolish talk. (Eccl. 10:11-15) Duties of rulers and subjects. (Eccl. 10:16-20) Verses 1-3 Those especially who make a profession of religion, should keep from all appearances of evil. A wise man has great advantage over a fool, who is always at a loss when he has anything to do. Sin is the reproach of sinners, wherever they go, and shows their folly.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 10:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

זְב֣וּבֵיze.Vu.veiflies ofH2070
מָ֔וֶתMa.vetdeathH4194
יַבְאִ֥ישׁyav.'Ishit causes to stinkH887
יַבִּ֖יעַya.Bi.a'it fermentsH5042
שֶׁ֣מֶןShe.men[the] oil ofH8081
רוֹקֵ֑חַro.Ke.acha perfumerH7543
יָקָ֛רya.Kar[is] weightyH3368
מֵחָכְמָ֥הme.cha.khe.Mahmore than wisdomH2451
מִכָּב֖וֹדmi.ka.Vodmore than honorH3519
סִכְל֥וּתsikh.LutfollyH5531
מְעָֽט\׃me.'Ata littleH4592

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 10:1

  • Matthew 5:13-16

    Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

  • Galatians 2:12-14

    For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

  • Nehemiah 13:26

    Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

  • Exodus 30:25

    And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.

  • 2 Chronicles 19:2

    And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

  • Exodus 30:34-35

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Observations of wisdom and folly;
16 of riot;
18 slothfulness;
19 and money.
20 Men's thoughts of kings ought to be reverent.

Dead flies. Heb. Flies of death. the ointment
Ex 30:34,35
a little.
2Ch 19:2; Ne 6:13; 13:26; Mt 5:13-16; Ga 2:12-14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 10:2

    A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		LAS moscas muertas hacen heder y dar mal olor el perfume del perfumista: así una pequeña locura, al estimado por sabiduría y honra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les mouches mortes font sentir mauvais, elles font fermenter l’huile du parfumeur; ainsi fait un peu de folie, à l’égard de celui qui est estimé pour sa sagesse et sa gloire.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Tote Fliegen machen das Öl des Salbenmischers stinkend und gärend: ein wenig Torheit hat mehr Gewicht als Weisheit und Ehre. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.