1Dead flies cause the perfumerʼs shemen to send forth a foul odor;
so doth a little sichlut outweigh chochmah and kavod.

2A chachamʼs lev is at his yamin (right hand);
but a kesilʼs lev is at his semol (left hand).

3Yea also, when he that is a kesil
even walketh along the derech, his sense faileth him,
and he saith to every one that he is a kesil.

4If the ruach of the moshel rise up against thee,
leave not thy mekom;
for calmness pacifieth chatta'im gedolim.

5There is a ra'ah which I have seen under the shemesh, the sort of error which proceedeth from a shalit (ruler);

6Sekhel (folly) is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

7I have seen avadim (servants) upon susim, and sarim (princes) walking as avadim upon ha'aretz.

8He that diggeth a gumatz (pit) shall fall into it;
and whoso breaketh through a wall, a nachash shall bite him.

9Whoso pulleth out avanim (stones) may be hurt therewith;
and he that cleaveth wood may be endangered thereby.

10If the barzel (iron) ⁸be blunt,
and he do not whet the edge,
then must more strength be marshalled;
but chochmah brings success.

11If the nachash will bite before it is charmed,
there is no use in a charmer.

12The words of a chachamʼs mouth are chen (gracious);
but the lips of a kesil will swallow up himself.

13The beginning of the words of his mouth is sichlut;
and the end of his talk is holelot ra'ah.

14A kesil also is full of devarim;
haAdam has no da'as of what shall be,
and what shall be after him,
who can tell him?

15The amal of the kesilim wearieth him,
because he has no da'as of how to go to town.

16Woe to thee, O eretz, when thy melech is a na'ar,
and thy sarim (princes) feast in the boker!

17Blessed art thou, O eretz, when thy melech is a nobleman,
and thy sarim (princes) eat in due season,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!

18By much atzlut (slothfulness) the rafters falleth;
and through idleness of the hands the bais leaketh.

19Lechem is made for laughter,
and yayin maketh merry;
but kesef answereth everything.

20Curse not the Melech, no not in thy thought;
and curse not the oisher in thy bedchamber;
for an Oph haShomayim may carry the voice,
and that which hath wings may report what you say.