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A Little Foolishness

¹ Dead flies make the oil of the ^(C1)perfumer give off a foul odor; so a little foolishness in one who is esteemed outweighs wisdom and honor.² A wise man's heart turns him toward the right which is the way of blessing, but a ^(C1)fool's heart turns him toward the left which is the way of condemnation. ^(VR1)3 Even when a fool walks along the road, his common sense and good judgment fail him and he ^(C1)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.⁴ If the temper of the ruler rises against you, ^(C1)do not leave your post showing resistance, because ^(C2)composure and calmness prevent great offenses.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceeds from the ruler—^6 (C1)folly is set in many exalted places and in great dignity while the rich sit in humble places.⁷ I have seen ^(C1)slaves riding ^(C2)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the ground.

^8 (C1)He who digs a pit for others may fall into it, and a ^(C2)serpent may bite him who breaks through a stone wall. ^(VR1)9 He who quarries stones may be hurt with them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. ^(VR1)10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength; but wisdom to sharpen the axe helps him succeed with less effort.¹¹ If the serpent bites ^(C1)before being charmed, then there is no profit for the charmer.¹² The ^(C1)words of a wise man's mouth are gracious and win him favor, but the lips of a ^(C2)fool consume him;¹³ the beginning of ^(F1)his talking is foolishness and the end of his talk is wicked ^(C1)madness.¹⁴ Yet the ^(C1)fool multiplies words, though no man knows what will happen, and who can tell him ^(C2)what will come after he is gone?¹⁵ The labor of a fool so wearies him because he is ignorant that he does not even know how to go to a city.¹⁶ Woe to you, O land, when your ^(C1)king is a child and when your incompetent officials and princes feast in the morning.¹⁷ Blessed prosperous and admired are you, O land, when your king is a man of noble birth, and your princes and officials feast at the proper time—for strength and not for ^(C1)drunkenness. ^(VR1)18 Through ^(C1)laziness the rafters of state affairs decay and the roof sags, and through idleness the roof of the house leaks.¹⁹ The officials make a feast for enjoyment instead of repairing what is broken, and serve ^(C1)wine to make life merry, and ^(C2)money is the answer to everything.^20 (C1)Moreover, do not curse the king, even ^(C1)in your bedroom, and ^(C2)in your sleeping rooms do not curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry the sound and a winged creature will make the matter known. ^(VR1)