1 D ead flies make a perfume maker’s oil smell bad. So does acting a little foolish weigh more than wisdom and honor.

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

2 A wise man’s heart leads him toward the right. But the foolish man’s heart leads him toward the left.

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

3 E ven when the fool walks on the road, he has little understanding and shows everyone that he is a fool.

Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

4 I f the ruler becomes angry with you, do not back away. If you are quiet, much wrong-doing may be put aside.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

5 T here is a sin I have seen under the sun, like a mistake done by a ruler:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

6 F ools are put in many places of honor, while rich men sit in places that are not important.

folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

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

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.

8 H e who digs a deep hole may fall into it. And a snake may bite him who breaks through a wall.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

9 H e who cuts stones may be hurt by them. And he who cuts trees may be in danger by them.

Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

10 I f the ax is not sharp and he does not make it sharp, then he must use more strength. Wisdom helps one to do well.

If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11 I f the snake bites before it is put under a man’s power, it will not be of help to the man who would have power over it.

If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

12 T he words of a wise man’s mouth are kind, but the lips of a fool destroy him.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

13 T he beginning of his talking is foolish, and the end of it is sinful and crazy.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 Y et the fool speaks many words. No man knows what will happen. And who can tell him what will come after him?

A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 T he work of a fool makes him so tired that he does not even know the way to a city.

The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16 I t is bad for you, O land, when your king is a child and your princes eat too much in the morning.

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 H appy are you, O land, when your king is from parents who have ruled, and your princes eat at the right time, for strength and not to get drunk.

Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18 W hen men are lazy, the roof begins to fall in. When they will do no work, the rain comes into the house.

By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

19 F ood is made ready to be enjoyed, wine makes life happy, but money is the answer to everything.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

20 D o not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich man in your bedroom because a bird of the heavens will carry your voice and an animal with wings will make it known.

Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.