1 D ead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.

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

3 E ven when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.

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

4 I f the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.

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

5 T here is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:

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

6 F olly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.

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

7 I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.

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

8 H e who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.

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

9 H e who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10 I f the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.

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

11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

12 T he words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

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

13 T he words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness.

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

14 A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

15 T he labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city!

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16 W oe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!

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

17 B lessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!

Blessed 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 B ecause of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20 D o not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.

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