1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
The Geneva Bible: A Cornerstone of English Protestantism A Testament to Reform The 1599 Geneva Bible... Read More
10 One dead fly[a] makes the perfumer’s ointment give off a rancid stench,[b]
so a little folly can outweigh[c] much wisdom.[d]
2 A wise person’s good sense protects him,[e]
but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable.[f]
3 Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense,[g]
and shows[h] everyone what a fool he is.[i]
4 If the anger[j] of the ruler flares up[k] against you, do not resign from[l] your position,[m]
for a calm[n] response[o] can undo[p] great offenses.
5 I have seen another[q] misfortune[r] on the earth:[s]
It is an error a ruler makes.[t]
6 Fools[u] are placed in many positions of authority,[v]
while wealthy men sit in lowly positions.
7 I have seen slaves[w] on horseback
and princes walking on foot[x] like slaves.
8 One who digs a pit may[y] fall into it,
and one who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.[z]
9 One who quarries stones may be injured by them;
one who splits logs may be endangered by them.
10 If an iron axhead[aa] is blunt and a workman[ab] does not sharpen[ac] its edge,[ad]
he must exert a great deal of effort;[ae]
so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.
11 If the snake should bite before it is charmed,[af]
the snake charmer[ag] is in trouble.[ah]
12 The words of a wise person[ai] win him[aj] favor,[ak]
but the words[al] of a fool are self-destructive.[am]
13 At the beginning his words[an] are foolish
and at the end[ao] his talk[ap] is wicked madness,[aq]
14 yet a fool keeps on babbling.[ar]
No one knows what will happen;
who can tell him what will happen in the future?[as]
15 The toil of a stupid fool[at] wears him out,[au]
because he does not even know the way to the city.[av]
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish,[aw]
and your princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility,[ax]
and your princes feast at the proper time[ay]—with self-control and not in drunkenness.[az]
18 Because of laziness the roof[ba] caves in,
and because of idle hands[bb] the house leaks.
19 Feasts[bc] are made[bd] for laughter,
and wine makes life merry,[be]
but money is the answer for[bf] everything.
20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts,
and do not curse the rich[bg] while in your bedroom;[bh]
for a bird[bi] might report what you are thinking,[bj]
or some winged creature[bk] might repeat your[bl] words.[bm]