Answer a dullard according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.

One who cutteth off feet, one who drinketh down wrong, is he who sendeth a message by the hand of a dullard.

Useless are the legs of the lame, and a proverb, in the mouth of a dullard.

As an archer who woundeth every thing, so one who hireth a dullard, and a drunkard crossing the sea.

As, a dog, returneth onto his own vomit, a dullard, repeateth his folly.

Thou hast seen a man wise in his own eye, - more hope of a dullard, than of him!

Saith the sluggard, A roaring lion in the road! A tearing lion in the midst of the broadways.

The door, turneth on its hinges, and, the sluggard, upon his bed.

The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Wiser is the sluggard in his own eyes, than, seven persons, who can answer with judgment.

So, is a man who deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Was not, I, in sport?

Though he make gracious his voice, do not trust him, for, seven abominations, are in his heart:

Hatred may clothe itself with guile, his wickedness shall be disclosed in the convocation.

Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.

Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one's friend, more than fragrant wood.

Thine own friend and thy father's friend, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour near, than a brother far off.

Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.

A prudent man, seeth calamity - he hideth himself, the simple, pass on - they suffer.

Take a man's garment when he hath become pledge for stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.

He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.

A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:

As in water, face answereth to face, so, the heart of man to man.

Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.

The lawless, fleeth when no man pursueth, but, the righteous, like a lion, are confident.

For the transgressions of a land, many are the rulers thereof, but, under an intelligent and discerning man, stability is prolonged.

They who forsake instruction, praise one who is lawless, while, they who keep instruction, are at strife with them.

Better a poor man walking in his integrity, than one who is crooked - turning two ways, though, he, be rich.

He that increaseth his substance by interest and profit, for one ready to favour the poor, doth gather it.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing instruction, even his prayer, is an abomination.

He that misguideth the upright into a hurtful way! into his own pit, he himself, shall fall, but, men of integrity, shall inherit good.

Wise in his own eyes, is the man that is rich, but, a poor man of discernment, searcheth him out.

In the exulting of the righteous, there is great glorying, but, when the lawless arise, a man must be sought for.

A leader, may lack intelligence, yet abound in oppressions, The hater of greed, shall lengthen out days.

He that walketh with integrity, shall be saved, but, he that is crooked, turning two ways, shall fall in one.

A man of fidelity, aboundeth in blessings, but, one hasting to be rich, shall not be held innocent.

To take note of faces in judgment , is not good, and, for a bit of bread, a man will transgress.

A man, hasting to be rich, hath an evil eye, and knoweth not when want may overtake him.

He that robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression, companion, is he to one who wasteth.

The ambitious in soul, stirreth up strife, but, he that trusteth in Yahweh, shall be enriched.

He that trusteth his own heart, the same, is a dullard, but, he that walketh wisely, the same, shall be delivered.

One who giveth to the poor, shall have no want, but, he that hideth his eyes, shall receive many a curse.

When lawless men rise, a common man will hide himself, but, when they perish, righteous men multiply.

When the righteous become great, the people rejoice, but, when a lawless man beareth rule, a people sigh.

In the transgression of a wicked man, is a snare, but, the righteous, doth shout in triumph and rejoice.

When a ruler giveth heed to the word of falsehood, all his attendants, become lawless.

When a king judgeth faithfully the poor, his throne, to futurity, shall be established.

When the lawless become great, transgression increaseth, but, the righteous, shall behold, their ruin.

Thou hast seen a man hasty in his words, - there is, more hope of a dullard, than of him.

He that dealeth tenderly with his servant from childhood, in his after life, shall have him for a son.

A man given to anger, stirreth up strife, and, he that exceedeth in wrath, aboundeth in transgression.

The loftiness of a man, layeth him low, - but, one of a lowly spirit, shall attain unto honour.

He that shareth with a thief, hateth himself, an oath, he heareth, yet may not tell.

The fear of man, setteth a snare, but, he that trusteth in Yahweh, shall be placed on high.

Many, seek the face of a ruler, but, from Yahweh, is the sentence of each one.

An abomination to the righteous, is the man of perversity, and, an abomination to the lawless, is a man of straightforward way.

Who hath ascended the heavens and then descended? Who hath gathered the wind into his two hands? Who hath wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who hath set up all the ends of the earth? What is his name and what the name of his son, when thou knowest?

Every saying of God is refined, A shield, is, he, to them who seek refuge in him.

A generation! Pure in its own eyes, yet, from its filth, hath it not been bathed,

The way of an eagle in the heavens, the way of a serpent on the rock, - the way of a ship in the heart of the sea, and the way of a man with a maid.

Under a servant, when he reigneth, and a base man, when he is surfeited with food;

Under a hateful woman, when she is married, and a handmaid when she driveth out her mistress.

The ants, a people, not strong, - yet prepare they, in summer, their food;

King, is there none, to, the locusts, - yet go forth in swarms, do they all;

The lizard, with hands, reneweth its hold, - yet, the same, is in the palaces of the king.

Three, things there are which step along well, ye, four, which excel in going:

The lion, hero among beasts, which turneth aside from the face of no one;

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor, for dignitaries, to desire strong drink,

Give strong drink, to him that is perishing, and wine, to such as are embittered in soul:

She is like the ships of the merchant, from afar, she bringeth in her food;

Known in the gates, is her husband, when he sitteth, with the elders of the land:

Her mouth, she openeth with wisdom, and, the instruction of kindness, is on her tongue:

Give her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her own works, praise her in the gates.

The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?

And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in, - yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.

Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, - circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.

I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.

I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, - and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:

yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, - I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.

For, in much wisdom, is much vexation, - and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.

Said, I, in my heart, Come now! I will prove thee with gladness, and look thou on blessedness, - but lo! even that, was vanity.

I sought out with my heart, to cherish with wine, my flesh, - but, my heart, was to guide with wisdom, even in laying hold of folly, until I should see which was blessedness for the sons of men, as to that which they could do, under the heavens, during the number of the days of their life.

I made me gardens, and parks, - I planted in them trees of every kind of fruit;

I acquired, men-servants and women-servants, and, the children of the household, were mine, - also possessions, herds and flocks in abundance, were mine, beyond all who had been before me in Jerusalem;

So I became great, and increased, more than any one who had been before me in Jerusalem, - moreover, my wisdom, remained with me;

When, I, looked upon all my works, which my hands had made, and on my toil, whereon I had toilsomely wrought, then lo! all, was vanity, and feeding on wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

As for the wise man, his eyes, are in his head, whereas, the dullard, in darkness, doth walk, - but, I myself, knew that, one destiny, happeneth to them, all.

Then said, I, in my heart, As it happeneth to the dullard, even to me, will it happen, but wherefore, then, became, I, wise to excess? Therefore spake I, in my heart, Even this, is vanity.

For there is no remembrance of a wise man, more than of a dullard, unto times age-abiding, - seeing that, already, in the days to come, all hath been forgotten, how then cometh it that the wise man dieth equally with the dullard?

Therefore I hated life, for, a vexation unto me, was the work which was done under the sun, - for, all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Therefore hated, I, all my toil, wherein I was toiling, under the sun, - in that I should leave it for the man who should come after me;

For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down, - even this, was, vanity.

There was nothing more blessed for Man than that he should eat and drink, and see his desireth for blessedness in his toil, - even this, saw, I myself, that, from the hand of God, it was.

For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

What profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein, himself, hath toiled?

Everything, hath he made beautiful in its own time, - also, intelligence, hath he put in their heart, without which men could not find out the work which God hath wrought, from the beginning even unto the end.

I know that there is no blessedness in them, - save to be glad, and to do well with one's life.

Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.