1 D ead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.

Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom -- By reason of honour -- a little folly!

2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.

The heart of the wise at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

3 E ven when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.

And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, `He a fool.'

4 I f the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

5 T here is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—

There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

6 f olly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.

He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.

8 H e who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.

Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

9 H e who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.

Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.

10 I f the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom advantageous to make right.

11 I f the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.

If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

12 W ords from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

Words of the mouth of the wise gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

13 t he beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.

The beginning of the words of his mouth folly, And the latter end of his mouth mischievous madness.

14 Y et the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?

And the fool multiplieth words: `Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

15 T he toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city.

The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.

16 W oe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.

Wo to thee, O land, when thy king a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.

17 B lessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.

Happy art thou, O land, When thy king a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

18 T hrough indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.

By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

19 M en prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.

For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

20 F urthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known.

Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.