Ecclesiastes 10:1

Ecclesiastes 10:1 in 6 English translations. Each links through to the full chapter for context.

New International Version (NIV)

1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1Dead flies turn a perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more 10:1 Lit costlypotent than wisdom and honor.

1Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.

1Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give off a foul odor; so a little foolishness [in one who is esteemed] outweighs wisdom and honor.

1As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil,

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1Dead flies give perfume a bad smell.

And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.