New International Version NIV
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
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0 Dead flies cause the perfumer’s shemen to send forth a foul odor; so doth a little sichlut outweigh chochmah and kavod.
2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
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A chacham’s lev is at his yamin (right hand); but a kesil’s lev is at his semol (left hand).
3 Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.
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Yea 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.
4 If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
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If the ruach of the moshel rise up against thee, leave not thy mekom; for calmness pacifieth chata’im gedolim.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
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There is a ra’ah which I have seen under the shemesh, the sort of error which proceedeth from a shalit (ruler);
6 Fools are put in many high positions, while the rich occupy the low ones.
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Sekhel (folly) is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
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I have seen avadim (servants) upon susim, and sarim (princes) walking as avadim upon ha’aretz.
8 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
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He that diggeth a gumatz (pit) shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a nachash shall bite him.
9 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
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Whoso pulleth out avanim (stones) may be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood may be endangered thereby.
10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
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If the barzel (iron [of the axe]) be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must more strength be marshalled; but chochmah brings success.
11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, the charmer receives no fee.
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If the nachash will bite before it is charmed, there is no use in a charmer.
12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
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The words of a chacham’s mouth are chen (gracious); but the lips of a kesil will swallow up himself.
13 At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—
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The beginning of the words of his mouth is sichlut; and the end of his talk is holelot ra’ah.
14 and fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming— who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
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A 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?
15 The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town.
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The amal of the kesilim wearieth him, because he has no da’as of how to go to town.
16 Woe to the land whose king was a servantand whose princes feast in the morning.
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Woe to thee, O eretz, when thy melech is a na’ar, and thy sarim (princes) feast in the boker!
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
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Blessed art thou, O eretz, when thy melech is a nobleman, and thy sarim (princes) eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.
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By much atzlut (slothfulness) the rafters falleth; and through idleness of the hands the bais leaketh.
19 A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything.
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Lechem is made for laughter, and yayin maketh merry; but kesef answereth everything.
20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
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Curse 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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.