^{1 Ref} Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; `so' doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

^{2 Ref} A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

^{3 Ref} 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 Ref} If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

^{5 Ref} There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

^{6 Ref} folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.

^{7 Ref} I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.

^{8 Ref} He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.

⁹ Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; `and' he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

^{10 Ref} 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 Ref} If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.

^{12 Ref} The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

^{13 Ref} The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

^{14 Ref} A fool also multiplieth words: `yet' man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?

^{15 Ref} The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

^{16 Ref} Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

^{17 Ref} 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 Ref} By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

^{19 Ref} A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.

^{20 Ref} 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.

^{1 Ref} Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.

^{2 Ref} The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

^{3 Ref} And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

^{4 Ref} If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.

^{5 Ref} There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:

^{6 Ref} The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.

^{7 Ref} I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.

^{8 Ref} He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.

⁹ He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.

^{10 Ref} If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

^{11 Ref} If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.

^{12 Ref} The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

^{13 Ref} The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.

^{14 Ref} The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

^{15 Ref} The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.

^{16 Ref} Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.

^{17 Ref} Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.

^{18 Ref} When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.

^{19 Ref} A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.

^{20 Ref} Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.