1 As dead flies cause the perfumer’s ointment to stink and ferment; so does a little folly to one esteemed for wisdom and honor.2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.3 Even when a fool walks along the way, his heart fails; and he says to everyone that he is a fool.4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, remain quietly where you are; for quietness heals great offenses.5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes from a ruler’s presence:6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a hedge may be bitten by a snake.9 Whoever removes stones may be hurt by them; and he who splits wood may be endangered by it.10 If the iron is blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must exert more strength. But wisdom gives excellent success.11 The snake may bite if it is not charmed; and a master of the tongue is no better.12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness; and the end of his talk is wicked madness.14 A fool also multiplies words; a man does not know what shall be; and who can tell him what shall be after him?15 The labor of fools wearies him, because he does not even know how to go to the city.16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your rulers eat in the morning.17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your rulers eat at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!18 Because of laziness the building decays; and through idleness of hands the house leaks.19 Food is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money is the answer to everything.20 Do not curse the king, not even in your thoughts; and do not curse the rich, not even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.

1 Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.2 The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.3 But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.4 If the spirit of hym, that hath power, stieth on thee, forsake thou not thi place; for heeling schal make gretteste synnes to ceesse.5 An yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne, and goith out as bi errour fro the face of the prince; a fool set in hiy dignyte,6 and riche men sitte bynethe.7 I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.8 He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.9 He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.10 If yrun is foldid ayen, and this is not as bifore, but is maad blunt, it schal be maad scharp with myche trauel; and wisdom schal sue aftir bisynesse.11 If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.12 The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.13 The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.14 A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?15 The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.16 Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.17 Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.18 The hiynesse of housis schal be maad low in slouthis; and the hous schal droppe in the feblenesse of hondis.19 In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.20 In thi thouyt bacbite thou not the kyng, and in the priuete of thi bed, curse thou not a riche man; for the briddis of heuene schulen bere thi vois, and he that hath pennys, schal telle the sentence.