| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man's heart goes to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. | 2A wise man's heart tends toward his right, but a fool's heart tends toward his left. |
| 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. | 3Furthermore, the way a fool lives shows he has no sense; he proclaims to everyone that he's a fool. |
| 4If the ruler's anger rises against you, don't leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. | 4If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: | 5Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer: |
| 6The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. | 6Foolishness is given great honor, while the prosperous sit in lowly places. |
| 7I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves. | 7And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants. |
| 8The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. | 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall may suffer a snake bite. |
| 9The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them. | 9Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger. |
| 10If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success. | 10If someone's ax is blunt—the edge isn't sharpened— then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success. |
| 11If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer. | 11If a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there's no point in being a snake charmer. |
| 12The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. | 12The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him. |
| 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. | 13He begins his speech with foolishness, and concludes it with evil madness. |
| 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? | 14The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it? |
| 15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don't know how to go to the city. | 15The work of a fool so wears him out that he can't even find his way to town. |
| 16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to the land whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning. |
| 17Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 17That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk. |
| 18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. | 18Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness. |
| 19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. | 19Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything. |
| 20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter. | 20Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it. |
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