Ecclesiastes 10:1

“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour, etc.] Such, as Jarchi observes, are in the winter season, which are weak and near to death, and get into precious ointment, prepared after the best manner, where they die, and corrupt and spoil it: or, “flies of deaths”f232; deadly ones, which have something in their nature poisonous and pernicious; which, when they light upon the most sweet and savoury ointment, give it an ill smell; [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour; a good name is like precious ointment, valuable and fragrant; sin, which is folly, is like a dead fly; not only light and mean, and base and worthless, but…”

“(Ecc. 10:1-20) Following up Ecc 9:18. him that is in reputation--for example, David (Sa2 12:14); Solomon (1Ki. 11:1-43); Jehoshaphat (2Ch. 18:1-34; Ch2 19:2); Josiah (Ch2 35:22). The more delicate the perfume, the more easily spoiled is the ointment. Common oil is not so liable to injury. So the higher a man's religious character is, the more hurt is caused by a sinful folly in him. Bad savor is endurable in oil, but not in what professes to be, and is compounded by the perfumer ("apothecary") for, fragrance. "Flies" answer to "a little folly" (sin), appropriately, being small (Co1 5:6); also, "Beelzebub" means prince of flies. "Ointment" answers to "reputation" (Ecc 7:1; Gen 34:30). The…”

“This verse is by its meaning so closely connected with Ecclesiastes 9:18 that the selection of it for the beginning of a new chapter seems unfortunate. Apothecary - Rather: a dealer in spices and perfumes (compare Exodus 30:25). The swarms of flies in the East very soon corrupt and destroy any moist unguent or mixture left uncovered, and pollute a dish of food in a few minutes. So doth ... - literally, more weighty than wisdom, than honor, is a little folly. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Dead flies: Heb. Flies of death the ointment: Exo 30:34, Exo 30:35 a little: Ch2 19:2; Neh 6:13, Neh 13:26; Mat 5:13-16; Gal 2:12-14 Ecclesiastes 10:2”

“The second half of the foregoing double proverb introduces what now follows: "Poisonous flies make to stink, make to ferment the oil of the preparer of ointment; heavier than wisdom, than honour, weighs a little folly." We do not need to change מות זבוּבי, on account of the foll. sing. of the pred., either into זבוגי ם (as possible by Hitz.) or זב ימוּתי (Luzz.); both are inadmissible, for the style of Koheleth is not adorned with archaisms such as Chirek compaginis; and also such an attrib. clause as זבוב ימות, a fly which dies," is for him too refined; but both are also unnecessary, for a plur. of the subj., in which the plurality of the individuals comes less into view than the oneness of…”