1As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.
3Even as fools walk along the road,
they lack sense
and show everyone how stupid they are.
4If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
do not leave your post;
calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
5There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
6Fools are put in many high positions,
while the rich occupy the low ones.
7I have seen slaves on horseback,
while princes go on foot like slaves.
8Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
10If the ax is dull
and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
but skill will bring success.
11If a snake bites before it is charmed,
the charmer receives no fee.
12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,
but fools are consumed by their own lips.
13At the beginning their words are folly;
at the end they are wicked madness—
14and fools multiply words.
No one knows what is coming—
who can tell someone else what will happen after them?
15The toil of fools wearies them;
they do not know the way to town.
16Woe to the land whose king was a servant10:16 Or king is a child
and whose princes feast in the morning.
17Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
and whose princes eat at a proper time—
for strength and not for drunkenness.
18Through laziness, the rafters sag;
because of idle hands, the house leaks.
19A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
20Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
1Sɛnea nwansena funu ma aduhuam yi nka bɔne no,
saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakraa bi boro nimdeɛ ne anuonyam so no.
2Onyansafo koma sian kɔ nifa,
nanso ɔkwasea koma kɔ benkum.
3Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɔkwan so a,
wohu sɛ onnim nyansa
na ɔma obiara hu sɛ wagyimi.
4Sɛ sodifo bo fuw wo a,
nnyaw wʼadwuma nto hɔ;
na ntoboase dwudwo mfomso kɛse ano.
5Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahu wɔ owia yi ase
ɛyɛ mfomso bi a efi sodifo:
6Wɔma nkwaseafo dibea a ɛkorɔn,
na asikafo nya nea ɛwɔ fam.
7Mahu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so,
na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
8Obiara a otu amoa no betumi atɔ mu;
na nea obubu ɔfasu no, ɔwɔ betumi aka no.
9Obiara a ɔpae abo no, abo no betumi apira no;
na nea ɔpae nnua no betumi anya mu akwanhyia.
10Sɛ abonnua ano kum
na wɔansew ano a
ebehia ahoɔden bebree,
nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdi bɛba.
11Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwudwo no a
nea odwudwo ɔwɔ no rennya so mfaso biara.
12Onyansafo anom nsɛm yɛ nyam,
nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
13Mfiase no, wɔn nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm;
awiei no, ɛyɛ adammɔ atirimɔdensɛm,
14na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm.
Obiara nnim nea ɛreba,
hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ obi akyi akyerɛ no?
15Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ;
na ɛmma onhu ɔkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
16Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo hene yɛ ɔsomfo
na wo mmapɔmma to pon anɔpa.
17Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo hene yɛ ɔdehye
na wo mmapɔmma didi bere a ɛfata
de pɛ ahoɔden na ɛnyɛ nsabow.
18Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a ne mpuran yɛ mmerɛw;
sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a ne fi nwini.
19Wɔto pon ma serew,
na nsa ma onipa ahosɛpɛw,
nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safe.
20Wʼadwene mu mpo nkasa ntia ɔhene,
na wo pia mu nso nnome ɔdefo,
efisɛ anomaa a ɔnam wim de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ,
na anomaa a otu bɛkɔ akɔka.
