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1 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.
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2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
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3 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.
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4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
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5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
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6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
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7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
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8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
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9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
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10 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.
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11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
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13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
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14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
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15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
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16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
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17 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!
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18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
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19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
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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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- 1 Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.
- 2 A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left.
- 3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
- 4 If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.
- 5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—
- 6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.
- 7 I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.
- 8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.
- 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
- 10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
- 11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
- 12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;
- 13 the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness.
- 14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?
- 15 The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city.
- 16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.
- 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
- 18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.
- 19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.
- 20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse 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.
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