| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil ferment and stink; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. |
| 2The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. | 2A wise man's heart goes to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. |
| 3Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are. | 3Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense, and he shows everyone he is a fool. |
| 4If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest. | 4If the ruler's anger rises against you, don't leave your place, for calmness puts great offenses to rest. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: | 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler: |
| 6Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. | 6The fool is appointed to great heights, but the rich remain in lowly positions. |
| 7I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves. | 7I have seen slaves on horses, but princes walking on the ground like slaves. |
| 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. | 8The one who digs a pit may fall into it, and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. |
| 9Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. | 9The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them; the one who splits trees may be endangered by them. |
| 10If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. | 10If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen its edge, then one must exert more strength; however, the advantage of wisdom is that it brings success. |
| 11If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee. | 11If the snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer. |
| 12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. | 12The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. |
| 13At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness-- | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. |
| 14and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming-- who can tell someone else what will happen after them? | 14Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will happen after him? |
| 15The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town. | 15The struggles of fools weary them, for they don't know how to go to the city. |
| 16Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to you, land, when your king is a youth and your princes feast in the morning. |
| 17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 17Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. |
| 18Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks. | 18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks. |
| 19A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. | 19A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything. |
| 20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. | 20Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry the message, and a winged creature may report the matter. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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