Ecclesiastes 10:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

One dead fly makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Matt 5:13-16 : 13 Salt and Light“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people! 14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.
  • Gal 2:12-14 : 12 Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all,“If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
  • Exod 30:25 : 25 You are to make this into a sacred anointing oil, a perfumed compound, the work of a perfumer. It will be sacred anointing oil.
  • Exod 30:34-35 : 34 The LORD said to Moses:“Take spices, gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense of equal amounts 35 and make it into an incense, a perfume, the work of a perfumer. It is to be finely ground, and pure and sacred.
  • 2 Chr 19:2 : 2 the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat,“Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the LORD? Because you have done this the LORD is angry with you!
  • Neh 6:13 : 13 He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I would be discredited.
  • Neh 13:26 : 26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin!

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 10:2-3
    2 verses
    78%

    2Wisdom Can Be Nullified By the Caprice of Rulers A wise person’s good sense protects him, but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.

    3Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is.

  • Prov 10:10
    72%

    10The one who winks his eye causes trouble, and the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.

  • Prov 10:23
    71%

    23Carrying out a wicked scheme is enjoyable to a fool, and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment.

  • Eccl 10:12-13
    2 verses
    71%

    12Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.

    13At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness,

  • Prov 13:16
    71%

    16Every shrewd person acts with knowledge, but a fool displays his folly.

  • Eccl 2:16
    71%

    16For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies– just like the fool!

  • Prov 10:8
    70%

    8The wise person accepts instructions, but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin.

  • Prov 14:7-8
    2 verses
    70%

    7Walk abreast with a foolish person, and you do not understand wise counsel.

    8The wisdom of the shrewd person is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deception.

  • Prov 14:24
    70%

    24The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is folly.

  • Prov 14:33
    70%

    33Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; it is not known in the inner parts of fools.

  • Prov 10:14
    70%

    14Those who are wise store up knowledge, but foolish speech leads to imminent destruction.

  • Prov 15:21
    70%

    21Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, but one who has understanding follows an upright course.

  • Prov 14:3
    70%

    3In the speech of a fool is a rod for his back, but the words of the wise protect them.

  • Prov 19:3
    70%

    3A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the LORD.

  • Eccl 10:5-6
    2 verses
    70%

    5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

    6Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.

  • Prov 26:9
    70%

    9Like a thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, so a proverb has gone up into the mouth of a fool.

  • Prov 21:20
    70%

    20There is desirable treasure and olive oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish person devours all he has.

  • Eccl 7:4-6
    3 verses
    70%

    4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.

    5Frivolous Living Versus Wisdom It is better for a person to receive a rebuke from those who are wise than to listen to the song of fools.

    6For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This kind of folly also is useless.

  • Prov 19:10
    70%

    10Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!

  • Prov 17:16
    69%

    16What’s the point of a fool having money in hand to buy wisdom, when his head is empty?

  • Prov 12:15
    69%

    15The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise.

  • Prov 19:1
    69%

    1Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.

  • Eccl 2:13-14
    2 verses
    69%

    13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:

    14The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.

  • Prov 10:21
    69%

    21The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of sense.

  • Prov 17:24
    69%

    24Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.

  • Prov 23:9
    69%

    9Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

  • Prov 17:10
    69%

    10A rebuke makes a greater impression on a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool.

  • Prov 26:11
    69%

    11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

  • Prov 26:5
    69%

    5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own opinion.

  • Prov 14:16
    69%

    16A wise person is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is overconfident.

  • Prov 29:11
    69%

    11A fool lets fly with all his temper, but a wise person keeps it back.

  • Prov 15:2
    68%

    2The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of the fool spouts out folly.

  • Prov 15:7
    68%

    7The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

  • Prov 18:2
    68%

    2A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in disclosing what is on his mind.

  • Prov 27:9
    68%

    9Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice, likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.

  • Prov 16:22
    68%

    22Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it, but folly leads to the discipline of fools.

  • Prov 12:23
    68%

    23The shrewd person conceals knowledge, but foolish people proclaim folly.

  • Prov 10:18
    68%

    18The one who conceals hatred utters lies, and the one who spreads slander is certainly a fool.

  • Eccl 6:8
    68%

    8So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?

  • Job 5:2
    68%

    2For wrath kills the foolish person, and anger slays the silly one.

  • Eccl 10:15
    68%

    15The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city.

  • Eccl 9:17-18
    2 verses
    68%

    17Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the shouting of a ruler is heard among fools.

    18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.