- 1
- Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid;
so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
- 2
- A wise man"s understanding is at his right hand;
but a fool"s understanding at his left.
- 3
- Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
- 4
- If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place;
for gentleness allayeth great offences.
- 5
- There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
- 6
- Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
- 7
- I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
- 8
- He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it;
and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
- 9
- Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith;
and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
- 10
- If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength;
but wisdom is profitable to direct.
- 11
- If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
- 12
- The words of a wise man"s mouth are gracious;
but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
- 13
- The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness;
and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
- 14
- A fool also multiplieth words;
yet man knoweth not what shall be;
and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
- 15
- The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
- 16
- Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
- 17
- Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
- 18
- By slothfulness the rafters sink in;
and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
- 19
- A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life;
and money answereth all things.
- 20
- Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber;
for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
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