“Dead flies make
The perfumer’s ointment
Give off a foul odor.
So a little folly outweighs
Wisdom and honor.
The heart of the wise
Inclines to the right.
But the heart of a fool
Inclines to the left.
Even when the fools
Walk on the road,
They lack sense.
They show to everyone
That they are fools.”
Here are some more words of wisdom from Qoheleth. Dead flies can ruin an ointment by giving off a smelly odor. A little folly can outweigh wisdom and honor. The heart of the wise leans to the right, but the heart of a fool leans to the left. This illustrates the traditional view that left leaning people are foolish. Even when a fool is out walking, he still lacks good sense. Fools show to everyone that they really are fools.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 