| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left. | 2A wise man's heart goes to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. |
| 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. | 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. |
| 4If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. | 4If the ruler's anger rises against you, don't leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler-- | 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: |
| 6folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. | 6The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. |
| 7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land. | 7I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves. |
| 8He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. |
| 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. | 9The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them. |
| 10If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. | 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. |
| 11If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. | 11If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer. |
| 12Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; | 12The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. |
| 13the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. |
| 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? | 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? |
| 15The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. | 15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don't know how to go to the city. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning. |
| 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 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. |
| 18Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. | 18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. |
| 19Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. | 19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. |
| 20Furthermore, 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. | 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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