The Hebrew text of verse 1 is problematic. First of all a plural subject, “flies,” is linked with singular verbs. This is not too troublesome, however. It may be that Qoheleth considers “flies” to be a collective noun, much as “rice” or “sand” are in English, taking singular agreement. Alternatively this may be a feature peculiar to Qoheleth’s writing. In many other passages he has not used the expected singular—plural agreement (1.16; 2.7). Or this may reflect common usage in late Hebrew. Whatever the reason behind the forms, there should be no problem for translation. We advise translators to follow the rules for agreement in their own languages.

Dead flies, literally “flies of death,” may mean flies that are dying, flies that bring death, or dead flies. We presume that it is the last sense that is intended.

The perfumer’s ointment refers to “oil” that belongs to “one who blends perfumes.” The Revised Standard Version rendering ointment has a more restricted sense, being principally for medical use, and so this is not the best model for translation. “Oil” has a much broader meaning and is the more correct translation. Good News Translation translates the whole phrase “perfumer’s oil” simply as “perfume.” “Sweet-smelling oil” may be an appropriate translation if perfumes are not known in the translator’s community. Otherwise translators can look for a local substitute, using a term referring to some valuable substance which flies are attracted to. If possible, however, the translator should find some substance that is also common in the Biblical context. Here the point is not to emphasize “perfume” as such, but to represent an expensive item that can easily be spoiled.

Make … give off an evil odor is the Revised Standard Version rendering of two similar Hebrew verbs (yabʾish and yabbiaʿ). The first verb is familiar from the Exodus story, where it describes the stench of the rotting manna (Exo 16.20). The second verb is not easily identified, but it probably comes from the root that describes something bubbling up. Thus it refers to the scum on the surface of a liquid. There is some manuscript evidence to suggest that the second term is a noun meaning “vessel, container,” so Jerusalem Bible says “spoils a bowl of perfumed oil.” However, our recommendation here is that we render the two verbs so that they describe how a bad smell is caused when something becomes rotten. Obviously the fermentation or rotting process is caused by the flies that fall into the precious substance. This may be stated explicitly if required.

The use of two verbs that sound alike was probably intentional. They may have also had the same associations that words like “scum” or “stink” have in English. Though the translator must be careful to maintain an appropriate level of language for the context, expressive words or ideophones may be effectively used here.

Suggestions for translation are:

• Dead flies can spoil perfume and make it stink [or, smell bad].

• When flies fall into perfume and die, the perfume smells terrible.

• Dead flies can make sweet-smelling oil turn bad and reek.

So a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor: from the natural world an example is drawn and then applied to the field of wisdom. For this reason Revised Standard Version adds the particle so. Other translations mark the relationship between each part of the verse with a semicolon. The translator will have to decide how to best bring across the comparison. The idea of comparison may have to be drawn out in some languages: “As dead flies make perfume reek, so a little folly….”

The comparison relating folly to wisdom uses an Aramaic term for something heavy. We can render it as “heavier” or “weightier,” recognizing that the term also carries the sense of value. Good News Translation “can cancel out” may be too strong, though it does express the idea of something being spoiled. Outweighs is good and is preferable to Jerusalem Bible “stronger.” “Ruin” or “spoil” are possibilities, but like the Good News Translation translation, they may say more than they should. Translators must avoid translating literally in languages where “heavier” means “more important,” or “more respectable.”

Wisdom: refer to comments on 1.13.

Honor: the text literally says “a little folly is heavier than wisdom, than honor.” Honor denotes status and respect in the community. Its association with wisdom may seem out of place in Qoheleth’s thinking. Thus Crenshaw suggests that it functions as an adjective describing the abundance of wisdom. Good News Translation agrees and translates “the greatest wisdom.” The translator can follow this model or translate as Revised Standard Version, which inserts the conjunction “and” between the two noun phrases. Similarly also is New Jerusalem Bible, “wisdom and glory.”

A little folly describes a small amount of folly, which is to say any minor act that is thoughtless and typical of the fool—an indiscretion. The phrase relates to the statement of 9.18.

It may be difficult to speak of such abstract values as folly and wisdom with the verb “outweighing.” If this is the case, the translator may have to spell out the sense a bit more: “A foolish act can undo what much wisdom has been able to accomplish.”

For translation we suggest:

• [similarly] a minor foolish act can outweigh great wisdom.

• an indiscretion can have more effect than great wisdom.

Though this verse does not have a true chiastic structure, we note that it begins with the spoiling agent Dead flies and ends with a little folly. The translator may wish to highlight the similar roles of Dead flies and a little folly in some way. It may be that simply putting them in parallel will produce this effect. In some languages a similar verb such as “spoil” may be used in both contexts. For example:

• As dead flies spoil sweet-smelling oil,
So a little folly can spoil much wisdom.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .