1 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.
1 Dead flies make a (A)perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.
1 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.
1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink;(A)so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
1 As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honor.
2 The heart of the wise one to his right, and the heart of the foolish one to his left.
2 A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish (B)man’s heart directs him toward the left.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
2 A wise man's heart tends toward his right, but a fool's heart tends toward his left.
3 And also as the foolish one went in the way, his heart was wanting, and he said to all, It is folly.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his (a)sense is lacking and he (b)(C)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.
3 Yea 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.
3 Even when the fool walks along the road, his heart lacks sense,and he shows everyone he is a fool.(B)
3 Furthermore, the way a fool lives shows he has no sense; he proclaims to everyone that he's a fool.
4 If the spirit of him ruling shall go up against thee, thou shalt not leave thy place; for quietness will put down great sins.
4 If the ruler’s (c)temper rises against you, (D)do not abandon your position, because (E)composure allays great offenses.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
4 If the ruler’s anger rises against you, don’t leave your place,(C)for calmness puts great offenses to rest.(D)
4 If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses.
5 There is an evil I saw under the sun as an error going forth from before him having power:
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler—
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:
5 Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer:
8 He digging a ditch shall fall into it; he breaking down a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
8 The one who digs a pit may fall into it,(H)and the one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(I)
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall may suffer a snake bite.
9 He removing stones; shall suffer pain by them; and he cleaving woods asunder shall be endangered by them.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
9 The one who quarries stones may be hurt by them;the one who splits trees may be endangered by them.
9 Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger.
10 If the iron became dull and he polished not the face, and he will strengthen the forces: and wisdom will make preeminence to prosper.
10 If the (d)axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must (e)exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
10 If 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.
10 If someone's ax is blunt the edge isn't sharpened then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, folly: and the latter state of his mouth the folly of evil.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly,but the end of his speaking is evil madness.
13 He begins his speech with foolishness, and concludes it with evil madness.
14 And the foolish one will multiply words: man shall not know what shall be; and what shall be after him, who shall announce to him?
14 Yet the (O)fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him (P)what will come after him?
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
14 Yet the fool multiplies words.No one knows what will happen,and who can tell anyone what will happen after him?(M)
14 The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it?
15 The labor of the foolish will weary them, because he knew not to go to the city.
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
15 The struggles of fools weary them,for they don’t know how to go to the city.
15 The work of a fool so wears him out that he can't even find his way to town.
17 Happy thou, O land: thy king the son of nobles, and thy chiefs shall eat in time, in strength and not in drinking.
17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for (R)drunkenness.
17 Blessed 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!
17 Blessed are you, land, when your king is a son of noblesand your princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.(O)
17 That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk.
18 By sloth the frame work will pine away; and by the letting down of the hands, the house will drop.
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
18 Because of laziness the roof caves in,and because of negligent hands the house leaks.
18 Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness.
19 For laughter they make bread, and wine will gladden the living: and silver will answer with all.
19 Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and (T)wine makes life merry, and (U)money (k)is the answer to everything.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter,and wine makes life happy,(P)and money is the answer for everything.(Q)
19 Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything.
20 Thou shalt not curse the king in thy consciousness, and in thy bed-chamber thou shalt not curse the rich for the bird of the heavens will bring the voice, and the possessor of wings shall announce the word.
20 Furthermore, (V)in your bedchamber do not (W)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.
20 Curse 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.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts,(R)and do not curse a rich person even in your bedroom,(S)for a bird of the sky may carry the message,and a winged creature may report the matter.
20 Do 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.
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