10 Dead flies putrefy^[a] 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.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,He lacks wisdom,And he shows everyone that he is a fool.⁴ If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,Do not leave your post;For conciliation pacifies great offenses.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun,As an error proceeding from the ruler:⁶ Folly is set in great dignity,While the rich sit in a lowly place.⁷ I have seen servants on horses,While princes walk on the ground like servants.

⁸ He who digs a pit will fall into it,And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.⁹ He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.¹⁰ If the ax is dull,And one does not sharpen the edge,Then he must use more strength;But wisdom brings success.

¹¹ A serpent may bite when it is not charmed;The babbler is no different.¹² The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;¹³ The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,And the end of his talk is raving madness.¹⁴ A fool also multiplies words.No man knows what is to be;Who can tell him what will be after him?¹⁵ The labor of fools wearies them,For they do not even know how to go to the city!

¹⁶ Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,And your princes feast in the morning!¹⁷ Blessed 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!¹⁸ Because of laziness the building decays,And through idleness of hands the house leaks.¹⁹ A feast is made for laughter,And wine makes merry;But money answers everything.

²⁰ Do 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.