Ecclesiastes 10:1

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

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

Transliteration

zəbûbê māwet yabʾîš yabbîaʿ šemen rôqēaḥ yāqār from ḥokmâ from kābôd siklût little

Grammar Details

• *zəbûbê māwet*: construct state, plural - flies of death/dead flies
• *yabʾîš*: hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular - cause to stink/make putrid
• *yabbîaʿ*: hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular - cause to bubble up/ferment
• *šemen rôqēaḥ*: construct state - oil of perfumer/ointment of apothecary
• *yāqār*: adjective, masculine singular - precious/valuable
• *ḥokmâ*: feminine singular noun - wisdom
• *kābôd*: masculine singular noun - honor/glory
• *siklût*: feminine singular noun - folly/foolishness
• *mə'āṭ*: adjective - little/small amount

Word Meanings

• *zəbûbê māwet*: dead flies/deathly flies
• *yabʾîš*: makes stink/causes to putrefy
• *yabbîaʿ*: makes ferment/causes to bubble/sends forth
• *šemen rôqēaḥ*: perfumer's oil/apothecary's ointment
• *yāqār*: precious/weighty/valuable
• *siklût*: folly/foolishness/stupidity

Referenced Verses

• Matt 5:13-16 : 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. 16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
• Gal 2:12-14 : 12 For before that certain came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing them that were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before [them] all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
• Exod 30:25 : 25 and thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.
• Exod 30:34-35 : 34 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight; 35 and thou shalt make of it incense, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure [and] holy:
• 2 Chr 19:2 : 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the wicked, and love them that hate Jehovah? for this thing wrath is upon thee from before Jehovah.
• Neh 6:13 : 13 For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
• Neh 13:26 : 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin.