| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left. | 2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. |
| 3Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool. | 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. |
| 4If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses. | 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: | 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: |
| 6Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. | 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. |
| 7I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants. | 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. |
| 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. | 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. |
| 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it. | 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. |
| 10If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success. | 10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. |
| 11A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. | 11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. |
| 12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; | 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. |
| 13The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. |
| 14A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? | 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? |
| 15The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! | 15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning! | 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! |
| 17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness! | 17Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! |
| 18Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. | 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. |
| 19A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. | 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. |
| 20Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. | 20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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