Dead flies
make a aperfumer's
oil
stink
, so a little
foolishness
is weightier
than
wisdom
and honor
.
A wise man's
heart
directs him toward the right
, but the foolish
aman's
heart
directs him toward the left
.
Even when
the fool
walks
along the road
, his 1sense
is lacking
and he 2 ademonstrates
to everyone
that he is a fool
.
If the ruler's
1temper
rises
against
you, ado not abandon
your position
, because
bcomposure
allays
great
offenses
.
There is an evil
I have seen
under
the sun
, like an error
which
goes
forth
from the ruler
--
afolly is set
in many
exalted
places
while rich
men
sit
in humble
places
.
I have seen aslaves
riding bon horses
and princes
walking
like slaves
on the land
.
aHe who digs a pit
may fall
into it, and a bserpent
may bite
him who breaks
through
a wall
.
He who quarries stones
may be hurt
by them, and he who splits
logs
may be endangered
by them.
If the 1axe
is dull
and he does not sharpen
its edge
, then he must 2exert
more strength
. Wisdom
has the advantage
of giving
success
.
If the serpent
bites
1 abefore being charmed
, there
is no
profit
for the charmer
.
aWords from the mouth
of a wise
man
are gracious
, while the lips
of a bfool
consume
him;
the beginning of 1his talking
is folly
and the end
of 2it is wicked
amadness
.
Yet the afool multiplies
words
. No
man
knows
what
will happen
, and who
can tell
him bwhat
will come
after
him?
The toil of 1a fool
so wearies
him that he does not even know
how to go
to a city
.
Woe to you, O land
, whose
aking
is a lad
and whose princes
1feast
in the morning
.
Blessed are you, O land
, whose
king
is of nobility
and whose princes
eat
at the appropriate time
--for strength
and not for adrunkenness
.
Through aindolence the rafters
sag
, and through slackness
the house
leaks
.
Men prepare a meal
for enjoyment
, and awine
makes
life
merry
, and bmoney
1is the answer
to everything
.
Furthermore, ain your bedchamber
do not bcurse
a king
, and in your sleeping
rooms
do not curse
a rich
man
, for a bird
of the heavens
will carry
the sound
and the winged
creature will make
the matter
known
.