Parallel Verses

Modern King James verseion

As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink and ferment; so a little folly is more rare than wisdom and than honor.

New American Standard Bible

Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.

King James Version

Dead 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.

Holman Bible

Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

International Standard Version

As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honor.

A Conservative Version

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, [so] a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

American Standard Version

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor;'so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

Amplified

Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give off a foul odor; so a little foolishness [in one who is esteemed] outweighs wisdom and honor.

Bible in Basic English

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.

Darby Translation

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink and ferment; so a little folly is weightier than wisdom and honour.

Julia Smith Translation

Flies of death will cause the oil of the perfume to stink, it will ferment: the preciousness of wisdom above the honor of the least folly.

King James 2000

Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a foul odor: so does a little folly to him that is respected for wisdom and honor.

Lexham Expanded Bible

Dead flies cause a bad smell [and] ruin the ointment of the perfumer. So also a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Dead flies corrupt sweet ointment and make it to stink. Even so, oft times, he that hath been had in estimation for wisdom and honour is abhorred because of a little foolishness.

NET Bible

One dead fly makes the perfumer's ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom.

New Heart English Bible

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

The Emphasized Bible

Dead flies, cause to stink and ferment, the oil of the perfumer, - More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.

Webster

Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth an offensive odor: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.

World English Bible

Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

Youngs Literal Translation

Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom -- By reason of honour -- a little folly!

Topics

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
מות 
Maveth 
Usage: 156

זבוּב 
Z@buwb 
fly
Usage: 2

שׁמן 
Shemen 
Usage: 193

of the apothecary
רקח 
Raqach 
Usage: 8

to send forth
נבע 
Naba` 
Usage: 11

בּאשׁ 
Ba'ash 
Usage: 17

so doth a little
מעט מעט 
M@`at 
Usage: 101

שׂכלוּת סכלוּת 
Cikluwth 
Usage: 7

חכמה 
Chokmah 
Usage: 149

References

Morish

Fly

Smith

Watsons

Verse Info

Context Readings

The Burden Of Folly

1 As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink and ferment; so a little folly is more rare than wisdom and than honor. 2 A man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Cross References

Exodus 30:25

And you shall make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil.

Exodus 30:34-35

And Jehovah said to Moses, Take to yourself sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense, a part of each one.

2 Chronicles 19:2

And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him. And he said to King Jehoshaphat, Should you help the ungodly and love those who hate Jehovah? And by this bring wrath on you from before Jehovah.

Nehemiah 6:13

Therefore he was hired that I should be afraid, and do so, and I should sin, and be for them an evil name, with which they might reproach me.

Nehemiah 13:26

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.

Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.

Galatians 2:12-14

For before some came from James, he ate with the nations. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcision.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain