1 Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.

1 זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רֹוקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּבֹ֖וד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃

2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

2 לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינֹ֔ו וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֹֽו׃

3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

3 וְגַם־בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל^y הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבֹּ֣ו חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃

4 If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.

4 אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמֹּושֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקֹומְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדֹולִֽים׃

5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:

5 יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃

6 The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.

6 נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרֹומִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃

7 I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.

7 רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

8 He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.

8 חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בֹּ֣ו יִפֹּ֑ול וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃

9 He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.

9 מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בֹּוקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃

10 If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.

10 אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְרֹ֥ון הַכְשֵׁ֖יר^q חָכְמָֽה׃

11 If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.

11 אִם־יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלֹוא־לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְרֹ֔ון לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֹֽׁון׃

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.

12 דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְתֹ֥ות כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.

13 תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הֹולֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃

14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

14 וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֹֽו׃

15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.

15 עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃

16 Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.

16 אִֽי־לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

17 Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.

17 אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חֹורִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃

18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.

18 בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃

19 A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.

19 לִשְׂחֹוק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃

20 Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.

20 גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י עֹ֤וף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יֹולִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקֹּ֔ול וּבַ֥עַל הַכְּנָפַיִם כְּנָפַ֖יִם יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃