Parallel Chapters Wisdom and Folly | 1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. | 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 inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. | 2A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left. | 2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his 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 on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to 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. | 3Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. | 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 anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. | 4If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses. | 4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. | 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 that I have seen under the sun, as it were 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-- | 5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the 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. | 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. | 6folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places. | 6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. | 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, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. | 7I have seen slaves riding on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land. | 7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. | 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. | 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall. | 8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. | 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. | 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. | 9He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. | 9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. | 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 iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. | 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. | 10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. | 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 serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. | 11If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. | 11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. | 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 of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. | 12Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; | 12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. | 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 foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. | 13the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous 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? | 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and 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? | 14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? | 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 toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. | 15The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. | 15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. | 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, 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. | 16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat 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. | 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! | 17Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 17Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, 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. | 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. | 18Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks. | 18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. | 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. | 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. | 19Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. | 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 20Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. | 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. |
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®. ESV® Text Edition® (2016): The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960 - 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. King James Bible Text courtesy of BibleProtector.comSection Headings Courtesy INT Bible © 2012, Used by Permission.
Bible Hub |
