| English Standard Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honor. |
| 2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. | 2A wise man's heart tends toward his right, but a fool's heart tends toward his left. |
| 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. | 3Furthermore, the way a fool lives shows he has no sense; he proclaims to everyone that he's a fool. |
| 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. | 4If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses. |
| 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: | 5Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer: |
| 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. | 6Foolishness is given great honor, while the prosperous sit in lowly places. |
| 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. | 7And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants. |
| 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall may suffer a snake bite. |
| 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. | 9Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger. |
| 10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. | 10If someone's ax is blunt—the edge isn't sharpened— then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success. |
| 11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. | 11If a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there's no point in being a snake charmer. |
| 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. | 12The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him. |
| 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. | 13He begins his speech with foolishness, and concludes it with evil madness. |
| 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? | 14The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it? |
| 15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. | 15The work of a fool so wears him out that he can't even find his way to town. |
| 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! | 16Woe to the land whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning. |
| 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! | 17That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk. |
| 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. | 18Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness. |
| 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. | 19Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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