| New American Standard Bible 1995 | English Standard Version |
| 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left. | 2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. |
| 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. | 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. |
| 4If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. | 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler-- | 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: |
| 6folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. | 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. |
| 7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land. | 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. |
| 8He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. |
| 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. | 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. |
| 10If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success. | 10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. |
| 11If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. | 11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. |
| 12Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; | 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. |
| 13the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. |
| 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? | 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? |
| 15The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. | 15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! |
| 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 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! |
| 18Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. | 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. |
| 19Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. | 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. |
| 20Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. | 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | 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. |
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