1 Qual a mosca morta faz o unguento do perfumador exalar mau cheiro, assim é para a sabedoria e a honra um pouco de estultícia. 2 O coração do sábio se inclina para o lado direito, mas o do estulto, para o da esquerda. 3 Quando o tolo vai pelo caminho, falta-lhe o entendimento; e, assim, a todos mostra que é estulto. 4 Levantando-se contra ti a indignação do governador, não deixes o teu lugar, porque o ânimo sereno acalma grandes ofensores. 5 Ainda há um mal que vi debaixo do sol, erro que procede do governador: 6 o tolo posto em grandes alturas, mas os ricos assentados em lugar baixo. 7 Vi servos a cavalo e príncipes andando a pé como servos sobre a terra. 8 Quem abre uma cova nela cairá, e quem rompe um muro, mordê-lo-á uma cobra. 9 Quem arranca pedras será maltratado por elas, e o que racha lenha expõe-se ao perigo. 10 Se o ferro está embotado, e não se lhe afia o corte, é preciso redobrar a força; mas a sabedoria resolve com bom êxito. 11 Se a cobra morder antes de estar encantada, não há vantagem no encantador.

12 Nas palavras do sábio há favor, mas ao tolo os seus lábios devoram. 13 As primeiras palavras da boca do tolo são estultícia, e as últimas, loucura perversa. 14 O estulto multiplica as palavras, ainda que o homem não sabe o que sucederá; e quem lhe manifestará o que será depois dele? 15 O trabalho do tolo o fatiga, pois nem sabe ir à cidade.

16 Ai de ti, ó terra cujo rei é criança e cujos príncipes se banqueteiam já de manhã. 17 Ditosa, tu, ó terra cujo rei é filho de nobres e cujos príncipes se sentam à mesa a seu tempo para refazerem as forças e não para bebedice. 18 Pela muita preguiça desaba o teto, e pela frouxidão das mãos goteja a casa. 19 O festim faz-se para rir, o vinho alegra a vida, e o dinheiro atende a tudo. 20 Nem no teu pensamento amaldiçoes o rei, nem tampouco no mais interior do teu quarto, o rico; porque as aves dos céus poderiam levar a tua voz, e o que tem asas daria notícia das tuas palavras.

1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer. 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Happy 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! 18 By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. 20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.

3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.

4 If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:

6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.

7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.

8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.

9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.

10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.

13 At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness —

14 and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming — who can tell someone else what will happen after them?

15 The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant "and whose princes feast in the morning.

17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time — for strength and not for drunkenness.

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.

19 A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.