1909–14. X
[1 ] DEAD flies cause the oil of the perfumer to 1 send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh 2 wisdom and honor. [2 ] A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. [3 ] Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding 3 faileth him, and he saith to 4 every one that he is a fool. [4 ] If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness 5 allayeth great offences. [5 ] There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: [6 ] folly is set in great dignity, 6 and the rich sit in a low place. [7 ] I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth. [8 ] He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. [9 ] Whoso heweth 7 out stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. [10 ] If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. [11 ] If 8 the serpent bite before 9 it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the 10 charmer. [12 ] The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. [13 ] The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his 11 talk is mischievous madness. [14 ] A fool also multiplieth words: yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? [15 ] The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city. [16 ] Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, 12 and thy princes eat in the morning! [17 ] Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the 13 son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! [18 ] By slothfulness the roof 14 sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. [19 ] A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. [20 ] Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bed-chamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
