A little folly
Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment stink. So a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour. A wise man's heart leans to his right, but a fool's heart to his left. Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense fails him, and he tells everyone he meets that he is a fool. If a ruler's temper rises against you, don't leave your post, because keeping calm settles great offences. There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that comes from a ruler: folly is put in high positions, while the rich sit in low ones. I have seen servants on horseback and princes walking on foot like servants. The man who digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a hedge may be bitten by a serpent. The man who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and the man who splits wood is in danger from it. If the iron is blunt and he doesn't sharpen the edge, he has to use more strength. But wisdom is profitable for directing the work. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment, and a babbler is no better. The words of a wise man's mouth win him favour, but a fool's lips swallow him up. The start of his talk is foolishness, and the end of it is wicked madness. A fool is full of words. No man knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will happen after him? The work of a fool wears him out, because he doesn't even know the way to town. Trouble is coming to you, land, when your king is a boy and your princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles and your princes eat at the proper time, for strength and not for drunkenness. Through laziness the rafters sag, and through idle hands the house leaks. A feast is made for laughing, and wine makes life merry, and money answers everything. Don't curse the king even in your thoughts, and don't curse the rich in your bedroom — because a bird of the air may carry your voice, and something with wings may tell the matter.
Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer stink and go bad. That's how a little folly does to the one honoured for wisdom. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart is at his left. Yes, when the one who's a fool walks along the way, his understanding fails him, and he tells everyone he's a fool. If the spirit of the ruler gets up against you, don't leave your place. Because giving way settles great offences. There's a trouble I've seen under the sun, like a mistake that comes from the ruler: folly is set in great honour, and the rich sit in a low place. I've seen servants on horses, and leaders walking like servants on the ground. The one who digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever breaks through a hedge, a snake will bite him. Whoever shifts stones will be hurt by them. And the one who splits wood will be in danger from it. If the iron is blunt and he doesn't sharpen the edge, then he has to put more strength into it. But wisdom is good to give things a right start. The snake will bite without charming, and a babbler is no better. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow him up. The start of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mad wickedness. A fool is full of words. A man can't tell what'll be. And who can tell him what'll be after him? The work of fools wears every one of them out, because he doesn't know how to go to the town. Trouble is coming to you, land, when your king is a child and your leaders eat in the morning. Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles and your leaders eat at the right time, for strength and not for drinking. By plenty of laziness the building falls in. And through slack hands the house leaks. A feast is made for laughing, and wine makes life glad. But money answers everything. Don't curse the king, not even in your thought. And don't curse the rich in your bedroom. Because a bird of the sky will carry the voice, and something with wings will tell the matter.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. 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.
Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment stink. So a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.
Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer stink and go bad. That's how a little folly does to the one honoured for wisdom.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
A wise man's heart leans to his right, but a fool's heart to his left.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart is at his left.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense fails him, and he tells everyone he meets that he is a fool.
Yes, when the one who's a fool walks along the way, his understanding fails him, and he tells everyone he's a fool.
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
If a ruler's temper rises against you, don't leave your post, because keeping calm settles great offences.
If the spirit of the ruler gets up against you, don't leave your place. Because giving way settles great offences.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that comes from a ruler:
There's a trouble I've seen under the sun, like a mistake that comes from the ruler:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
folly is put in high positions, while the rich sit in low ones.
folly is set in great honour, and the rich sit in a low place.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
I have seen servants on horseback and princes walking on foot like servants.
I've seen servants on horses, and leaders walking like servants on the ground.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
The man who digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a hedge may be bitten by a serpent.
The one who digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever breaks through a hedge, a snake will bite him.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
The man who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and the man who splits wood is in danger from it.
Whoever shifts stones will be hurt by them. And the one who splits wood will be in danger from it.
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
If the iron is blunt and he doesn't sharpen the edge, he has to use more strength. But wisdom is profitable for directing the work.
If the iron is blunt and he doesn't sharpen the edge, then he has to put more strength into it. But wisdom is good to give things a right start.
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment, and a babbler is no better.
The snake will bite without charming, and a babbler is no better.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
The words of a wise man's mouth win him favour, but a fool's lips swallow him up.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
The start of his talk is foolishness, and the end of it is wicked madness.
The start of the words of his mouth is folly, and the end of his talk is mad wickedness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
A fool is full of words. No man knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will happen after him?
A fool is full of words. A man can't tell what'll be. And who can tell him what'll be after him?
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
The work of a fool wears him out, because he doesn't even know the way to town.
The work of fools wears every one of them out, because he doesn't know how to go to the town.
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Trouble is coming to you, land, when your king is a boy and your princes feast in the morning.
Trouble is coming to you, land, when your king is a child and your leaders eat in the morning.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Blessed are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles and your princes eat at the proper time, for strength and not for drunkenness.
Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles and your leaders eat at the right time, for strength and not for drinking.
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Through laziness the rafters sag, and through idle hands the house leaks.
By plenty of laziness the building falls in. And through slack hands the house leaks.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
A feast is made for laughing, and wine makes life merry, and money answers everything.
A feast is made for laughing, and wine makes life glad. But money answers everything.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Don't curse the king even in your thoughts, and don't curse the rich in your bedroom — because a bird of the air may carry your voice, and something with wings may tell the matter.
Don't curse the king, not even in your thought. And don't curse the rich in your bedroom. Because a bird of the sky will carry the voice, and something with wings will tell the matter.
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.