1 Dead flies makegEx. 30:25 the perfumer's ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 h[ch. 2:14] A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool's heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and hei[Prov. 13:16; 18:2] says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you,j[ch. 8:3] do not leave your place,
k[1 Sam. 25:24, 32, 33]; See Prov. 25:15 for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it werelch. 5:6 an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 m[Esth. 3:1; Prov. 28:12; 29:2] folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 nProv. 19:10; [Prov. 30:22] I have seen slaveso[Esth. 6:8] on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 He whopSee Ps. 7:15 digs a pit will fall into it,
andqAmos 5:19 a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 r[1 Chr. 22:2] He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he whos[Deut. 19:5] splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.1Or wisdom is an advantage for success
11 If the serpent bites before it ist[Jer. 8:17] charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man's mouthuProv. 10:32; 22:11; [Luke 4:22] win him favor,1Or are gracious
butvSee Prov. 18:7 the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 wSee Prov. 15:2 A fool multiplies words,
though no man knows what is to be,
and who can tell himxSee ch. 3:22 what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not knowy[Isa. 35:8] the way to the city.
16 zIsa. 3:4, 12; [2 Chr. 13:7] Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
and your princes feast at the proper time,
for strength, and not fora[Prov. 31:4; Isa. 5:11] drunkenness!
18 Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
andbSee Ps. 104:15 wine gladdens life,
andc[ch. 7:12] money answers everything.
20 Even in your thought,dEx. 22:28 do not curse the king,
nor in youreSee 2 Kgs. 6:12; Luke 12:3 bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.