Ecclesiastes 10:2-4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
2 The wise heart turns to the right;
the foolish heart to the left.[a]
3 Even when walking in the street the fool, lacking understanding, calls everyone a fool.[b]
4 Should the anger of a ruler burst upon you, do not yield your place; for calmness[c] abates great offenses.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 10:2 Right…left: the right hand is identified with power, moral goodness, favor; the left hand with ineptness and bad luck.
- 10:3 Calls everyone a fool: or, “tells everyone that he (himself) is a fool.”
- 10:4 Calmness: a frequent motif of wisdom; silence and reserve characterize the wise, while boisterousness and impetuosity identify the fool.
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