| International Standard Version | King James Bible |
| 1As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of 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 tends toward his right, but a fool's heart tends toward his left. | 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. |
| 3Furthermore, the way a fool lives shows he has no sense; he proclaims to everyone that he's 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 your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses. | 4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. |
| 5Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer: | 5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: |
| 6Foolishness is given great honor, while the prosperous sit in lowly places. | 6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. |
| 7And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants. | 7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. |
| 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall may suffer a snake bite. | 8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. |
| 9Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger. | 9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. |
| 10If someone's ax is blunt—the edge isn't sharpened— then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success. | 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 a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there's no point in being a snake charmer. | 11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. |
| 12The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him. | 12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. |
| 13He begins his speech with foolishness, and concludes it with evil madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. |
| 14The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it? | 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 work of a fool so wears him out that he can't even find his way to town. | 15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. |
| 16Woe to the land whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! |
| 17That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk. | 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 slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness. | 18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. |
| 19Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything. | 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. |
| 20Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it. | 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. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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