1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink {and} ferment; {so} a little folly is weightier than wisdom {and} honour.
2 The heart of a wise {man} is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense 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 quietness pacifieth great offences.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error {that} proceedeth from the ruler:
6 folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
11 If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: {yet} man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
15 The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know 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 a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in {due} season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
1 Ma nga ngaro mate ka piro whakahouhou ai te hinu a te kaiwhakananu: ka pera ano te whakaaro nui me te ingoa nui, he iti noa te wairangi mana e tami.
2 Kei tona ringa matau te ngakau o te tangata whakaaro nui; kei tona maui ia te ngakau o te wairangi.
3 Ae ra hoki, ka haere te wairangi i te ara, ka taka ona mahara, a ka korero ia ki nga tangata katoa he wairangi ia.
4 Ki te ara te wairua o te rangatira, he riri ki a koe, kaua tou wahi e whakarerea; ka ai hoki te whakangawari hei whakamarie mo nga hara nui.
5 Tenei tetahi kino i kitea e ahau i raro i te ra, e rite tonu ana ki te he i puta mai i te rangatira.
6 Ko te wairangi e whakanohoia ana ki runga ki nga wahi tiketike rawa, a ko nga tangata taonga e noho ana i te wahi i raro.
7 I kite ahau i nga kaimahi i runga i te hoiho, a ko nga rangatira e haere ana, ano he kaimahi, i runga i te whenua.
8 Ko te tangata e keri ana i te rua, ka taka ano ki roto; ko te tangata e wahi ana i te taiepa, ka ngaua e te nakahi.
9 Ko te tangata e tarai ana i nga kohatu, ka mamae ano i reira; ko te tangata e tata ana i te rakau, ka ora noa ano i reira.
10 Ki te puhuki te rino, a kahore e whakakoia te mata, kia nui ake ano tona kaha; he pai ia nga whakaaro nui hei whakatikatika.
11 Ki te ngau te nakahi i te mea kiano i whakawaia, kahore hoki he painga o te kaiwhakawai.
12 He ataahua nga kupu a te mangai o te tangata whakaaro nui; tena ko te wairangi ka horomia a ia ano e ona ngutu.
13 Ko te timatanga o nga kupu a tona mangai he wairangi; ko te mutunga o tana korero, he haurangi, he he.
14 He maha ano hoki nga kupu a te wairangi: engari e kore te tangata e mohio ko te aha e puta mai. Na, ko nga mea e puta mai i muri i a ia, ma wai ra e whakaatu ki a ia?
15 Hoha iho nga wairangi i tana mahi i tana mahi: e kore nei hoki ia e matau ki te haere ki te pa.
16 Aue, te mate mou, e te whenua he tamaiti nei tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te ata!
17 Ka hari koe, e te whenua, he tamaiti nei no nga rangatira tou kingi, a e kai ana ou rangatira i te wa e tika ai, hei mea whakakaha, ehara i te mea hei whakahaurangi.
18 Ma te mangere ka totohu iho ai te tuanui o te whare; ma te ngoikore ano o nga ringa ka tuturu ai te whare.
19 Hei mea mo te kata te hakari i tukua ai, he mea whakahari ano te waina; a ma te hiriwa ka rite ai nga mea katoa.
20 Kaua e kanga te kingi, kaua rawa i roto i tou whakaaro; kaua hoki e kanga te tangata taonga i roto i tou whare moenga: no te mea ka kawea te reo e tetahi manu o te rangi, ka korerotia hoki taua mea e tetahi mea whai parirau.