1 Dead flies in perfume make it stink,And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.
2 Wise thinking leads to right living;Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.
3 Fools on the road have no sense of direction.The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”
4 If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic;A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.
5-7 Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth,An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge:Immaturity is given a place of prominence,While maturity is made to take a backseat.I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style,While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.
8 Caution: The trap you set might catch you.Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.
9 Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous.Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.
10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work;Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.
11 If the snake bites before it’s been charmed,What’s the point in then sending for the charmer?
12-13 The words of a wise person are gracious.The talk of a fool self-destructs—He starts out talking nonsenseAnd ends up spouting insanity and evil.
14 Fools talk way too much,Chattering stuff they know nothing about.
15 A decent day’s work so fatigues foolsThat they can’t find their way back to town.
16-17 Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup,And whose princes party all night.Lucky the land whose king is mature,Where the princes behave themselvesAnd don’t drink themselves silly.
18 A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack;A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.
19 Laughter and bread go together,And wine gives sparkle to life—But it’s money that makes the world go around.
20 Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath,And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home.Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around.Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.