1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
1Mrtve muhe napravijo, da se mazilarju mazilo skazi in usmradi: enako malo neumnosti lahko prevlada modrost in slavo.
2A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
2Modrega srce je na pravi strani njegovi, a bedakovo na napačni.
3Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
3Saj tudi ko po poti gre, manjka bedaku razuma in vsakemu pove, da je bedak.
4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
4Ako se vzdigne vladarjeva jeza zoper tebe, ne zapusti mesta svojega; kajti krotkost zabrani velike pregrehe.
5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
5Je zlo, ki sem ga videl pod solncem, pomota namreč, ki jo povzroča vladar:
6Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
6neumnost posajajo na najvišja mesta in bogatini morajo sedeti na nizkih.
7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
7Videl sem hlapce na konjih, knezi pa so šli peš kakor hlapci.
8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
8Kdor koplje jamo, lahko pade vanjo, in kdor predira ograjo, ga piči gad.
9Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
9Kdor lomi kamenje, se lahko ž njim poškoduje, in kdor kolje drva, je v nevarnosti od njih.
10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
10Kadar se železo skrha in ostrine kdo ne nabrusi, tedaj mora človek bolj napenjati svojo moč; ali modrost je koristna, da dosežeš uspeh.
11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
11Če kača piči, preden jo zakolne, nima nič dobička zaklinjalec.
12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
12Besede iz ust modrega moža so milobne, ustnice bedakove pa njega samega pogoltnejo.
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
13Začetek besed ust njegovih je neumnost in konec govorjenja njegovega je zlobna blaznost.
14A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
14Bedak rad govori veliko besed; toda človek ne ve, kaj bode, in kar pride za njim, kdo mu oznani?
15The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
15Trud bedaka izmozgava, ker niti ne ve, kako bi šel v mesto.
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
16Gorje ti, o dežela, ako je tvoj kralj otrok in tvoji knezi se gosté že zjutraj!
17Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
17Srečna si, o dežela, če je tvoj kralj sin plemenitnikov in tvoji knezi jedo o pravem času v okrepčavo in ne iz požrešnosti!
18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
18Vsled lenobe gnije streha in po zanikarnosti kaplje v hišo.
19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
19Gostí se napravljajo v razveseljevanje in vino razvedruje življenje, denar pa zagotovi vse.Ne preklinjaj kralja, še v svojih mislih ne, in v svoji spalnici ne kolni bogatina, kajti ptice nebeške bi odnesle glas in krilatci bi oznanil besedo.
20Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
20Ne preklinjaj kralja, še v svojih mislih ne, in v svoji spalnici ne kolni bogatina, kajti ptice nebeške bi odnesle glas in krilatci bi oznanil besedo.