1 Dead flies give perfume a bad smell. And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.
2 The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path. But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.
3 A foolish person doesn't have any sense at all. He shows everyone he is foolish. He does it even when he is walking along the road.
4 Suppose a ruler gets very angry with you. If he does, don't quit your job in the palace. Stay calm. That will overcome the effects of your big mistakes.
5 Here's something evil I've seen on this earth. And it's the kind of mistake that rulers make.
6 Foolish people are given many important jobs. Rich people are given unimportant ones.
7 I've seen slaves on horseback. I've also seen princes who were forced to walk as if they were slaves.