Verse 1. Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
Verse 2. The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
Verse 3. Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas he himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
Verse 4. If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
Verse 5. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
Verse 6. A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
Verse 7. I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
Verse 8. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Verse 9. He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
Verse 10. If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
Verse 11. If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
Verse 12. The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
Verse 13. The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
Verse 14. A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
Verse 15. The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not how to go to the city.
Verse 16. Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
Verse 17. Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
Verse 18. By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
Verse 19. For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
Verse 20. Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.