Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor;
so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Like dead flies, fools contaminate and ruin everything they touch. In fact even a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. When a fool is promoted, elected, or otherwise rises to a position of power everyone within his sphere suffers. When the wicked rule, the people groan. Proverbs 29:2
Ecclesiastes 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler. 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth. 8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. 9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it. 10 If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success. 11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
Solomon illustrates how wrong it is when a fool rules over a nation. Of course we can also apply the same principle to a fool running a business, a church, or being the head of a family. Just as it would be ridiculous to see a king or a prince walking beside his horse while his servant rode on the horse, it is ridiculous to imagine a nation being ruled by a fool. In fact, everything that the fool commanded would bring the nation closer to ruin. It would be like a man digging a pit and falling into it. Or a construction worker tearing down a wall and getting bitten by a snake. Or a stone mason getting crushed by stones. Or a snake charmer that gets bitten by his snake. Or a wood splitter being showered by splinters. Just like wisdom and skill are needed in all of those occupations to have success, Solomon is reminding his son, Rehoboam, that wisdom and skill are both needed to rule over a nation. Without wisdom, skill, and experience, the nation ruled by fools will most assuredly come to ruin.
In fact, this principle applies in all areas of life. No doubt, most of us have, at one time or another, groaned under the leadership of unskilled and foolish teachers, employers, pastors, elected officials, and perhaps even presidents; people who have caused confusion and brought destruction.
In Deuteronomy 1:13 God instructed his people to pick from each of your tribes men who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your leaders. I don’t know what is worse, the comforting lies told by the foolish and undiscerning people that we choose as our leaders, or the foolish, undiscerning, gullible people who continue to vote or otherwise allow these leaders to remain in power.
There is no shortage of noxious blather peddled by Western intellectuals. [They have] the apparently limitless capacity of idealistic human beings… to engage in wishful thinking and substantial political misjudgment.
Paul Hollander, From Benito Mussolini to Hugo Chavez: Intellectuals and a Century of Political Hero Worship, Cambridge University Press
Ecclesiastes 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also multiplies words.
Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
Solomon is imploring Rehoboam to be a wise and discerning king. We too should be discerning and choose leaders who are wise, discerning, and experienced. To do otherwise is madness.
Ecclesiastes 10:16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child,
and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles,
and your princes eat in due season,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in;
and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
and wine makes the life glad;
and money is the answer for all things.
20 Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts;
and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom:
for a bird of the sky may carry your voice,
and that which has wings may tell the matter.
Solomon warns, woe to you when your leader is undiscerning, like a child, and your princes or, in our world, governors, mayors, sheriffs, representatives, Congress, pastors, teachers, administrators, etc., are only thinking about serving themselves, lining their pockets, feasting in the morning rather than attending to matters of state, slothful in their duties, and addicted to drunkenness and other mind-altering drugs.
Solomon also warns that when such wicked and foolish leaders are in charge, you must be careful with your criticism. If a leader was willing to use unjust means to get into office you can expect them to continue to use unjust means to retain their power. If the walls had ears in Solomon’s time to report your criticisms back to the king, imagine how true Solomon’s counsel is today when almost everyone carries a phone in their pocket. A phone that can report all of your words directly back to the king or his representatives.