| New King James Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Dead flies putrefy 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. | 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left. | 2A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left. |
| 3Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool. | 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking and he demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. |
| 4If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses. | 4If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: | 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler-- |
| 6Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. | 6folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. |
| 7I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants. | 7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land. |
| 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. | 8He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. |
| 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it. | 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. |
| 10If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success. | 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. |
| 11A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. | 11If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. |
| 12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; | 12Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; |
| 13The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. | 13the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. |
| 14A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? | 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? |
| 15The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! | 15The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning! | 16Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. |
| 17Blessed 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! | 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. |
| 18Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. | 18Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. |
| 19A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. | 19Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. |
| 20Do 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. | 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | 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 |
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