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A Little Foolishness

¹ Dead flies turn a ^(C1)perfumer's oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more ^(F1)potent than wisdom and honor.² A wise person's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish ^(C1)person's heart directs him toward the left.³ Even when the fool walks along the road, his ^(F1)sense is lacking, and he ^(F2)(C1)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool.⁴ If the ruler's ^(F1)temper rises against you, ^(C1)do not abandon your place, because ^(C2)composure puts great offenses to rest.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler:^6 (C1)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places.⁷ I have seen ^(C1)slaves riding ^(C2)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

^8 (C1)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a ^(C2)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall.⁹ One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them.¹⁰ If the ^(F1)axe is dull and he does not sharpen its ^(F2)edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success.¹¹ If the serpent bites ^(F1)(C1)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer.^12 (C1)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a ^(C2)fool consume him;¹³ the beginning of ^(F1)his talking is foolishness, and the end of ^(F2)it is evil ^(C1)insanity.¹⁴ Yet the ^(C1)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him ^(C2)what will come after him?¹⁵ The labor of ^(F1)a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city.¹⁶ Woe to you, land whose ^(C1)king is a boy, and whose princes ^(F1)feast in the morning.¹⁷ Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for ^(C1)drunkenness.¹⁸ Through ^(C1)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks.¹⁹ People prepare a meal for enjoyment, ^(C1)wine makes life joyful, and ^(C2)money ^(F1)is the answer to everything.²⁰ Furthermore, ^(C1)in your bedroom do not ^(C2)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.