| English Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. |
| 2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. | 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. |
| 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. | 3Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. |
| 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. | 4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. |
| 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: | 5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: |
| 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. | 6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. |
| 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. | 7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. |
| 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. |
| 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. | 9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. |
| 10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. | 10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. |
| 11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. | 11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. |
| 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. | 12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. |
| 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. |
| 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? | 14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? |
| 15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. | 15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! | 16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! |
| 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! | 17Blessed 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! |
| 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. | 18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. |
| 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. | 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. |
| 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. | 20Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. |
| 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. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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