| 10:1 | Wisdom and Folly Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. |
| 10:2 | A wise man's heart is at his right hand, But a fool's heart at his left. |
| 10:3 | Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool. |
| 10:4 | If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses. |
| 10:5 | There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: |
| 10:6 | Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. |
| 10:7 | I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants. |
| 10:8 | He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. |
| 10:9 | He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it. |
| 10:10 | If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success. |
| 10:11 | A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. |
| 10:12 | The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; |
| 10:13 | The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. |
| 10:14 | A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? |
| 10:15 | The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! |
| 10:16 | Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning! |
| 10:17 | Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time-- For strength and not for drunkenness! |
| 10:18 | Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. |
| 10:19 | A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. |
| 10:20 | Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter. |