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Daniel Son
Mr. Ritivoiu
English 102
12 March 2014
Literary Analysis: Ecclesiastes 10
In Ecclesiastes 10 verse 1 through 12, Solomon allows the
reader to observe a wise man and foolish man and gives
contrasting examples of them.
In verse one, Solomon gives an analogy of dead flies that
rot in the perfumers ointment to show what foolishness can do
to someone. The dead flies will cause the ointment to give off a
foul smell. This relates to wisdom and foolishness. Someone who
is highly respected by their knowledge and fame can easily be
brought down because of one foolish act. One foolish deed may
ruin a good reputation and a life that was spent cautiously.
Verse two then goes on and says that the wise mans heart
is at his right hand and the fools heart at his left. The right
hand in the Bible is considered as the side for favor and
success. In Psalms 16, verse 8, King David wrote that he had set
God on his right hand, and by doing that, David was not to be
moved. Even in the New Testament, in Matthew 25 verse 31 to 35,
Jesus spoke of a parable regarding goats and sheep. The shepherd
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divides his sheep from the goat and sets his sheep on the right
and the goats on the left. It is seen that through the Bible,
the right side is more favorable than the left. Ecclesiastes 10
verse 3 shows that a wise man will choose the right side while
the fool chooses the left.
The chapter goes on further and explain in verse 3 that the
foolish man will still be choosing foolish things. The fool will
display folly even when he goes on with his own business. When
Solomon states that the fools wisdom fails him and says that
the fool tells everyone that he is a fool. The Bible says that,
By their fruit you will recognize them (KJV, Matthew 7:16). It
is seen that the fool tells everyone that he is a fool just by
his actions. His wisdom fails him can be seen as his common
sense. In context, combining the text together, the fools
common sense fails him and his actions tell everyone that he is
a fool.
It is seen in verse 12 the action of the fool telling
everyone that he is a fool while the wise man shows contrary.
The wise mans mouth is acceptable to the hearers. In Proverbs
chapter 22, verse 11, Solomon says that the man who has grace on
his lips, the king will be his friend. Also in the New Testament,
in Luke 4 verse 22, Jesus spoke with gracious words and the
hearers were astonished. On contrary, the fools mouth will
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bring himself shame. Solomon states in Proverb 15 verse 2 that
the fools mouth pours out foolishness. In the same book,
Proverbs 18 verse 7, Solomon goes on further and says that the
fools mouth is his destruction. The contrast of wisdom and
foolishness is seen that while the wise man speaks of gracious
words, the fool speaks words that causes his destruction.
Solomon shows the contrast of a wise man with a foolish man
and allows the reader to observe them. Foolishness can destroy a
wise mans reputation just as the dead flies makes a perfume
ointment smell rotten. It is seen that the fool will always be a
fool and tell everyone that he is a fool through his action.
Even when the fool speaks, he leads himself to his own
destruction while the wise man speaks gracious things. The
contrast of a wise man and foolish man is observed in
Ecclesiastes 10 verse 1 through 12.

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Work Cited
King James Version Bible. S.l.: Thomas Nelson, n.d. Print.