Wisdom and Folly

1  זְב֣וּבֵי (Flies) מָ֔וֶת (dead) יַבְאִ֥ישׁ (give a stench) יַבִּ֖יעַ (rising up) שֶׁ֣מֶן (in the ointment) רוֹקֵ֑חַ (of a perfumer).

יָקָ֛ר (Is heavier) מֵחָכְמָ֥ה (than wisdom) מִכָּב֖וֹד (and honor) סִכְל֥וּת (folly) מְעָֽט׃ (a little).

2  לֵ֤ב (The heart of) חָכָם֙ (a wise one) לִֽימִינ֔וֹ (is to his right),

וְלֵ֥ב (and the heart) כְּסִ֖יל (of a fool) לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃ (to his left).

3  וְגַם־ (And even) בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ (along the way) כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל (in a fool) הֹלֵ֖ךְ (walking), לִבּ֣וֹ (his heart) חָסֵ֑ר (is lacking),

וְאָמַ֥ר (and he shows) לַכֹּ֖ל (to everyone) סָכָ֥ל (that a fool) הֽוּא׃ (he is).

4  אִם־ (If) ר֤וּחַ (the spirit) הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ (of the ruler) תַּעֲלֶ֣ה (rises) עָלֶ֔יךָ (against you), מְקוֹמְךָ֖ (your station) אַל־ (not) תַּנַּ֑ח (should you leave).

כִּ֣י (For) מַרְפֵּ֔א (calmness) יַנִּ֖יחַ (puts to rest) חֲטָאִ֥ים (sins) גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ (great).

5  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) רָעָ֔ה (an evil) רָאִ֖יתִי (I have seen) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun),

כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה (as an error) שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א (that goes forth) מִלִּפְנֵ֥י (from before the face) הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ (of the ruler):

6  נִתַּ֣ן (He has set) הַסֶּ֔כֶל (a fool) בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים (high places) רַבִּ֑ים (in many),

וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים (and the rich ones) בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל (in the lowly place) יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ (sit).

7  רָאִ֥יתִי (I have seen) עֲבָדִ֖ים (slaves) עַל־ (on) סוּסִ֑ים (horses),

וְשָׂרִ֛ים (and princes) הֹלְכִ֥ים (walking) כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים (like slaves) עַל־ (on) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (the earth).

8  חֹפֵ֥ר (The one digging) גּוּמָּ֖ץ (a pit) בּ֣וֹ (into it) יִפּ֑וֹל (will fall),

וּפֹרֵ֥ץ (and one breaking through) גָּדֵ֖ר (a wall) יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ (will bite him) נָחָֽשׁ׃ (a snake).

9  מַסִּ֣יעַ (The one pulling out) אֲבָנִ֔ים (stones) יֵעָצֵ֖ב (will be hurt) בָּהֶ֑ם (by them);

בּוֹקֵ֥עַ (the one splitting) עֵצִ֖ים (trees) יִסָּ֥כֶן (endangers himself) בָּֽם׃ (by them).

10  אִם־ (If) קֵהָ֣ה (has been blunt) הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל (the iron) וְהוּא֙ (and he) לֹא־ (not) פָנִ֣ים (the edge) קִלְקַ֔ל (has sharpened),

וַחֲיָלִ֖ים (and strength) יְגַבֵּ֑ר (he must exert);

וְיִתְר֥וֹן (and an advantage) הַכְשֵׁ֖יר (to being successful) חָכְמָֽה׃ (wisdom).

11  אִם־ (If) יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ (bites) הַנָּחָ֖שׁ (the snake) בְּלוֹא־ (without) לָ֑חַשׁ (a charm),

וְאֵ֣ין (then there is no) יִתְר֔וֹן (advantage) לְבַ֖עַל (for the master) הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃ (of the tongue).

12  דִּבְרֵ֥י (The words) פִי־ (of the mouth) חָכָ֖ם (of a wise one) חֵ֑ן (are favor),

וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת (and the lips) כְּסִ֖יל (of a fool) תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ (will swallow him up).

13  תְּחִלַּ֥ת (The beginning) דִּבְרֵי־ (of the words) פִ֖יהוּ (of his mouth) סִכְל֑וּת (is folly),

וְאַחֲרִ֣ית (and the end) פִּ֔יהוּ (of his mouth) הוֹלֵל֖וּת (is madness) רָעָֽה׃ (evil).

14  וְהַסָּכָ֖ל (And the fool) יַרְבֶּ֣ה (multiplies) דְבָרִ֑ים (words).

לֹא־ (Not) יֵדַ֤ע (does know) הָאָדָם֙ (man) מַה־ (what) שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה (will come to be);

וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר (and of what) יִֽהְיֶה֙ (will come to be) מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו (after him), מִ֖י (who) יַגִּ֥יד (can declare it) לֽוֹ׃ (to him)?

15  עֲמַ֥ל (The toil) הַכְּסִילִ֖ים (of fools) תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ (wearies him),

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (for) לֹֽא־ (not) יָדַ֖ע (does he know) לָלֶ֥כֶת (the way) אֶל־ (to) עִֽיר׃ (the city).

16  אִֽי־ (Woe) לָ֣ךְ (to you), אֶ֔רֶץ (O land), שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ (that your king) נָ֑עַר (is a youth),

וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ (and your princes) בַּבֹּ֥קֶר (in the morning) יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ (feast)!

17  אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ (Blessed are you), אֶ֔רֶץ (O land), שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ (that your king) בֶּן־ (is a son) חוֹרִ֑ים (of nobles),

וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ (and your princes) בָּעֵ֣ת (in due season) יֹאכֵ֔לוּ (feast)—

בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה (for strength) וְלֹ֥א (and not) בַשְּׁתִֽי׃ (for drunkenness)!

18  בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם (By laziness) יִמַּ֣ךְ (is made to sink) הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה (the rafter),

וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת (and by idleness) יָדַ֖יִם (of hands) יִדְלֹ֥ף (leaks) הַבָּֽיִת׃ (the house).

19  לִשְׂחוֹק֙ (For laughter) עֹשִׂ֣ים (is made) לֶ֔חֶם (bread), וְיַ֖יִן (and wine) יְשַׂמַּ֣ח (makes merry) חַיִּ֑ים (life),

וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף (and the silver) יַעֲנֶ֥ה (is the answer) אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּֽל׃ (to all).

20  גַּ֣ם (Even) בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ (in your thought) מֶ֚לֶךְ (the king) אַל־ (not) תְּקַלֵּ֔ל (do belittle),

וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ (and in the chambers) מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ (of your bed) אַל־ (not) תְּקַלֵּ֖ל (do belittle) עָשִׁ֑יר (the rich);

כִּ֣י (for) ע֤וֹף (a bird) הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ (of the heavens) יוֹלִ֣יךְ (may carry along) אֶת־ (-) הַקּ֔וֹל (your voice),

וּבַ֥עַל (and a possessor) הַכְּנָפַיִם (of wings) יַגֵּ֥יד (may declare) דָּבָֽר׃ (the word).