10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; (so) doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
10:1 Dead flies make a perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom [and] honor.

10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
10:2 A wise man's heart [directs him] toward the right, but the foolish man's heart [directs him] toward the left.

10:3 Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one (that) he is a fool.
10:3 Even when the fool walks along the road his sense is lacking, and he demonstrates to everyone [that] he is a fool.

10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
10:4 If the ruler's temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because composure allays great offenses.

10:5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
10:5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like an error which goes forth from the ruler--

10:6 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
10:6 folly is set in many exalted places while rich men sit in humble places.

10:7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth.
10:7 I have seen slaves [riding] on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
10:8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a wall.

10:9 Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; (and) he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
10:9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them.

10:10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
10:10 If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen [its] edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success.

10:11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
10:11 If the serpent bites before being charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.

10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
10:12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;

10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
10:13 the beginning of his talking is folly, and the end of it is wicked madness.

10:14 A fool also multiplieth words: (yet) man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
10:14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him?

10:15 The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
10:15 The toil of a fool [so] wearies him that he does not [even] know how to go to a city.

10:16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
10:16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning.

10:17 Happy 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!
10:17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time-- for strength, and not for drunkenness.

10:18 By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
10:18 Through indolence the rafters sag, and through slackness the house leaks.

10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
10:19 [Men] prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything.

10:20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
10:20 Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound, and the winged creature will make the matter known.