¹Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour;

so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour .

²A wise man ’s heart is at his right hand ,

but a fool ’s heart at his left .

³Yes also when the fool walks by the way , his understanding fails him , and he says to everyone that he is a fool .

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you , don’t leave your place ; for gentleness lays great offences to rest.

⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun , the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler .

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

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

⁸He who digs a pit may fall into it ; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake .

⁹Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.

¹⁰If the axe is blunt , and one doesn’t sharpen the edge , then he must use more strength ; but skill brings success .

¹¹If the snake bites before it is charmed , then is there no profit for the charmer ’s tongue .

¹²The words of a wise man ’s mouth are gracious ; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips .

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

¹⁴A fool also multiplies words .

Man doesn’t know what will be ; and that which will be after him , who can tell him ?

¹⁵The labour of fools wearies every one of them ; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city .

¹⁶Woe to you , land, when your king is a child ,

and your princes eat in the morning !

¹⁷Happy are you , land, when your king is the son of nobles ,

and your princes eat in due season ,

for strength , and not for drunkenness !

¹⁸By slothfulness the roof sinks in ;

and through idleness of the hands the house leaks .

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter ,

and wine makes the life glad ;

and money is the answer for all things .

²⁰Don’t curse the king , no, not in your thoughts ;

and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom ,

for a bird of the sky may carry your voice ,

and that which has wings may tell the matter .