1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.