| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. | 1Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. |
| 2The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. | 2A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left. |
| 3Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are. | 3Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. |
| 4If a ruler's anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest. | 4If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. |
| 5There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: | 5There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: |
| 6Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones. | 6folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. |
| 7I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves. | 7I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. |
| 8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. | 8He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. |
| 9Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them. | 9He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. |
| 10If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. | 10If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. |
| 11If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee. | 11If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. |
| 12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. | 12The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. |
| 13At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness-- | 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. |
| 14and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming-- who can tell someone else what will happen after them? | 14A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? |
| 15The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town. | 15The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. |
| 16Woe to the land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. | 16Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! |
| 17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time-- for strength and not for drunkenness. | 17Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! |
| 18Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks. | 18Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. |
| 19A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. | 19Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. |
| 20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. | 20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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