Chapter 10. Dead flies putrify 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 A wise man's heart is at his right hand But a Fool's heart at his left Even when a fool walks along the way he Lacks wisdom and he shows everyone that He is a fool If the spirit of the ruler Rises against You do not leave your post For conciliation pacifies great offenses There is an evil I have seen under the Sun As an error proceeding from the ruler Folly is set in great dignity While the rich sit in a lowly place I have seen servants on horses while Princes walk on the ground like servants He who digs a pit will fall into it and Whoever breaks through a wall will be Bitten by a serpent He who quarries stones may be hurt by Them and he who splits wood may be Endangered by it If the ax is dull and one does not Sharpen the edge then he must use more Strength But wisdom brings success A serpent may bite when it is not Charmed The babbler is no different
The words of a wise man's mouth are Gracious But the lips of a fool shall swallow him Up The words of his mouth begin with Foolishness And the end of his talk is raving Madness A fool also multiplies words No man knows what is to be Who can tell him what will be after him The labor of fools wearys them For they do not even know how to go to The city Woe to you o land when your king is a Child and your princes feast in the Morning 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 Because of laziness the building decays And through idleness of hands the house Leaks A feast is made for laughter And wine makes merry But money answers everything 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