Septuagint Bible w/ Apocrypha LXX
New Revised Standard w/ Apocrypha NRSA
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
1
Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
3
Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense, and show to everyone that they are fools.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
4
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post, for calmness will undo great offenses.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
5
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler:
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
6
folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
7
I have seen slaves on horseback, and princes walking on foot like slaves.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
8
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
9
Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them; and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.
10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and skill is of no advantage to a man.
10
If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge, then more strength must be exerted; but wisdom helps one to succeed.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
11
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage in a charmer.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
12
Words spoken by the wise bring them favor, but the lips of fools consume them.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
13
The words of their mouths begin in foolishness, and their talk ends in wicked madness;
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
14
yet fools talk on and on. No one knows what is to happen, and who can tell anyone what the future holds?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, who knows not to go to the city.
15
The toil of fools wears them out, for they do not even know the way to town.
16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
16
Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant, and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
17
Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman, and your princes feast at the proper time— for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
18
Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
19
Feasts are made for laughter; wine gladdens life, and money meets every need.
20 Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
20
Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts, or curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.