1 GLT Dead flies make a perfumer’ s oil stink; heavier than wisdom or honor{ is} a little foolishness. BSB BSB: As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 GLT { The} heart of a wise person{ is} to his right and a heart of a fool{ is} to his left. BSB BSB: A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 GLT And even when the fool is going on the road, his heart{ is} lacking, and he says to everyone{ that} he{ is} a fool. BSB BSB: Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
4 GLT If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great sins to rest. BSB BSB: If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
5 GLT There is a misfortune I saw under the sun, like an unintentional sin that goes out from before the face of the authority. BSB BSB: There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:
6 GLT Folly is given into many high places and rich people sit in the lowly place. BSB BSB: Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
7 GLT I saw slaves on horses and princes walking like slaves on the ground. BSB BSB: I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
8 GLT A person who digs a pit will fall into it, and a person who breaks through a wall, a snake will bite him. BSB BSB: He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 GLT A person who pulls up stones will be hurt by them; a person who splits wood will be endangered by them. BSB BSB: The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
10 GLT If{ a person} has blunted the iron and he does not make the faces light, he must exert strength, but a profit to being successful{ is} wisdom. BSB BSB: If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
11 GLT If the snake bites without a charm, there is no profit for the master of the tongue. BSB BSB: If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
12 GLT { The} words of{ the} mouth of a wise person{ are} favor, but{ the} lips of a fool will swallow him. BSB BSB: The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 GLT The beginning of the words of his mouth{ is} foolishness and{ the} end of his mouth{ is} evil insanity. BSB BSB: The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
14 GLT But the fool will multiply words. Humanity does not know what will happen or what will be after him— who will declare{ it} to him? BSB BSB: Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
15 GLT The toil of foolish people will weary him so that he does not know{ how} to go to a city. BSB BSB: The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
16 GLT Woe to you, land, that your king{ is} a youth and your princes will eat in the morning. BSB BSB: Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 GLT Blessed are you, land, that your king{ is} a son of nobles and{ that} your princes will eat at the time with might and not with drunkenness. BSB BSB: Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 GLT With laziness, the beams of the roof sink and in idleness of hands, the house will leak. BSB BSB: Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
19 GLT { They} are making bread for laughter and wine gladdens life, but silver will answer everything. BSB BSB: A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
20 GLT Even in your thought, do not belittle a king, and in the room of your bed, do not belittle a rich person, for a bird of the heavens will carry the voice, and a master of wings will declare{ the} word. BSB BSB: Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.