10:1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
10:3 Even as he walks along the road, the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is.
10:4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great errors to rest.
10:5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
10:6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
10:7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
10:8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
10:9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10:10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.
10:11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
10:12 Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips.
10:13 At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness–
10:14 and the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming–who can tell him what will happen after him?
10:15 A fool’s work wearies him; he does not know the way to town.
10:16 Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning.
10:17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time–for strength and not for drunkenness.
10:18 If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.
10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
10:20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
10:1 Dead flies cause the perfumer s ointment to stink, to ferment; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
10:2 A wise man s heart inclines to his right, but a fool s heart inclines to his left.
10:3 And also, when the fool walks on the way, his sense fails him, and he tells everyone that he is a fool.
10:4 If the ruler s spirit rises up against you, do not leave your place; for composure allays great offenses.
10:5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, like an error that proceeds from the ruler:
10:6 Folly is set in many high places, and rich men sit in a low place.
10:7 I have seen servants on horses and princes walking on the earth like servants.
10:8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent;
10:9 Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them, and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
10:10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge, then he must apply more strength; but wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
10:11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage in a charmer.
10:12 The words of a wise man s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool swallow him up.
10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is wicked madness.
10:14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will be; and what will be after him, who can tell him?
10:15 The labor of fools wears them out, because they do not know even how to get to town.
10:16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a young boy and whose princes feast in the morning!
10:17 Happy are you, O land whose king is the son of nobles and whose princes feast at the proper time, for strength and not for drunkenness!
10:18 Through slothfulness the rafters sag, and through idleness of hands the house leaks.
10:19 They make a feast for laughter, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.
10:20 Do not curse the king even in your thought, and do not curse a rich man in your bedroom; for a bird of heaven will carry the sound, or something with wings will tell the matter.