| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honor. | 1One dead fly makes the perfumer's ointment give off a rancid stench, so a little folly can outweigh much wisdom. |
| 2A wise man's heart tends toward his right, but a fool's heart tends toward his left. | 2A wise person's good sense protects him, but a fool's lack of sense leaves him vulnerable. |
| 3Furthermore, the way a fool lives shows he has no sense; he proclaims to everyone that he's a fool. | 3Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, and shows everyone what a fool he is. |
| 4If your overseer gets angry at you, don't resign, because calmness pacifies great offenses. | 4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses. |
| 5Here's another tragedy that I've observed on earth, a kind of error that comes from an overseer: | 5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes. |
| 6Foolishness is given great honor, while the prosperous sit in lowly places. | 6Fools are placed in many positions of authority, while wealthy men sit in lowly positions. |
| 7And I have observed servants riding on horses, while princes walk on the ground like servants. | 7I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on foot like slaves. |
| 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall may suffer a snake bite. | 8One who digs a pit may fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. |
| 9Someone who quarries stone might be injured; someone splitting logs can fall into danger. | 9One who quarries stones may be injured by them; one who splits logs may be endangered by them. |
| 10If someone's ax is blunt—the edge isn't sharpened— then more strength will be needed. Putting wisdom to work will bring success. | 10If an iron axhead is blunt and a workman does not sharpen its edge, he must exert a great deal of effort; so wisdom has the advantage of giving success. |
| 11If a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there's no point in being a snake charmer. | 11If the snake should bite before it is charmed, the snake charmer is in trouble. |
| 12The words spoken by the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool will devour him. | 12The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive. |
| 13He begins his speech with foolishness, and concludes it with evil madness. | 13At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness, |
| 14The fool overflows with words, and no one can predict what will happen. As to what will happen after him, who can explain it? | 14yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future? |
| 15The work of a fool so wears him out that he can't even find his way to town. | 15The toil of a stupid fool wears him out, because he does not even know the way to the city. |
| 16Woe to the land whose king is a youth and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning! |
| 17That land is blessed whose king is of noble birth, whose princes feast at the right time, for strength, and not to become drunk. | 17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time--with self-control and not in drunkenness. |
| 18Through slothfulness the roof deteriorates, and a house leaks because of idleness. | 18Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of idle hands the house leaks. |
| 19Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything. | 19Feasts are made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything. |
| 20Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom. For a bird will fly by and tell what you say, or something with wings may talk about it. | 20Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words. |
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