¹ As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink and ferment; so a little folly is more rare than wisdom and than honor.

² A man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

³ Yes also, in the way a fool walks, his heart fails; and he says to all that he is a fool.

⁴ If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for yielding quiets great sinners.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, sins which comes from the ruler's face;

⁶ foolishness is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

⁷ I have seen servants on horses and princes walking as servants on the earth.

⁸ He who digs a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaks a hedge, a snake shall bite him.

⁹ Whoever removes stones shall be hurt with them. He who splits wood shall be endangered by it.

¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must put more strength to it. But wisdom is profitable to direct.

¹¹ Surely the snake will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

¹² The words of a wise mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow him.

¹³ The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is wicked madness.

¹⁴ A fool also makes many words; a man knows not what they shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

¹⁵ The labor of fools wearies him, because he does not know how to go to the city.

¹⁶ Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and your leaders eat in the morning.

¹⁷ Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your leaders eat in due time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ By slothfulness the building decays; and through lowering of the hands the house leaks.

¹⁹ Bread is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but silver answers all things.

²⁰ Do not curse a king, no, not in your thought; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.