^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} The heart of the wise `is' at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.

^{3 Ref} 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 `is' a fool.'

^{4 Ref} If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.

^{5 Ref} There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,

^{6 Ref} He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.

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

^{8 Ref} Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.

⁹ Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.

^{10 Ref} If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom `is' advantageous to make right.

^{11 Ref} If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.

^{12 Ref} Words of the mouth of the wise `are' gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.

^{13 Ref} The beginning of the words of his mouth `is' folly, And the latter end of his mouth `Is' mischievous madness.

^{14 Ref} And the fool multiplieth words: `Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'

^{15 Ref} The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.

^{16 Ref} Wo to thee, O land, when thy king `is' a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.

^{17 Ref} Happy art thou, O land, When thy king `is' a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.

^{18 Ref} By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.

^{19 Ref} For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.

^{20 Ref} 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.

^{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.