1 Flies dying mar the sweetness of ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious, than a little and temporal folly.
1 Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and short-lived folly.
2 The heart of a wiseman is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
3 Yea and the fool walking in the way, whereas himself is unwise, esteemeth all men fools.
3 Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas he himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
4 If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because carefulness will make the greatest sins to cease.
4 If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by error proceeding from the face of the Prince:
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 a fool set in high dignity, and the rich to sit beneath.
6 A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
7 I have seen servants upon horses: and Princes walking on the ground as servants.
7 I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
8 ¹He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 He that removeth stones, shall be afflicted in them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded of them.
9 He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
10 If the iron shall be blunt, and that not as before, but shall be made blunt, it shall be sharpened by great labour: and after industry shall wisdom follow.
10 If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labor it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 If a serpent bite in silence, nothing less than it hath he, that detracteth secretly.
11 If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 The words of the mouth of a wiseman grace: and the lips of the unwise shall throw him down headlong.
12 The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the later end of his mouth is most wicked error.
13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
14 Afool multiplieth words. A man is ignorant what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
14 A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of fools shall afflict them, that know not to go into the city.
15 The labor of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee o land, whose king is a child, and whose Princes eat in the morning.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is noble, & whose Princes eat in their time, to refection, and not to riotousness.
17 Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 In slothfulness the roof of the house shall go to ruin, & in the infirmity of the hands the house shall drop through.
18 By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 They make bread for laughter, and wine, that living they may make merry: and to money all things obey.
19 For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
20 In thy cogitation detract not from the king, and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the richman: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will declare the sentence.
20 Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.