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.
110:1 Mit 13:16; 18:2Kama vile nzi waliokufa huacha harufu mbaya kwenye manukato,
ndivyo upumbavu kidogo huzidi nguvu hekima na heshima.
2Moyo wa mwenye hekima huelekea kuume,
lakini moyo wa mpumbavu huelekea kushoto.
3Hata anapotembea barabarani,
mpumbavu hukosa ufahamu
na kudhihirisha kwa kila mmoja
jinsi alivyo mpumbavu.
410:4 Mit 16:14; 25:15; Mhu 8:3Kama hasira ya mtawala ikiwaka dhidi yako,
usiache mahali pako,
utulivu huweza kuzuia makosa mengi.
5Kuna ubaya niliouona chini ya jua,
aina ya kosa litokalo kwa mtawala:
610:6 Mit 29:2Wapumbavu kuwekwa kwenye nafasi nyingi za juu,
wakati matajiri hushika nafasi za chini.
710:7 Mit 19:10Mimi nimeona watumwa wamepanda farasi,
wakati wakuu wakitembea
kwa miguu kama watumwa.
810:8 Es 2:23; Amo 5:19; Mit 26:27; Za 57:6; 9:16Yeye achimbaye shimo
aweza kutumbukia ndani yake,
yeyote abomoaye ukuta
anaweza kuumwa na nyoka.
910:9 Mit 26:27Yeyote apasuaye mawe
inawezekana yakamuumiza,
yeyote apasuaye magogo
inawezekana yakamuumiza.
10Kama shoka ni butu
na halikunolewa,
nguvu nyingi zinahitajika,
lakini ustadi utaleta mafanikio.
1110:11 Yer 8:17; Za 58:5; Isa 3:3Kama nyoka akiuma kabla ya kufanyiwa uaguzi,
mwaguzi hatahitajika tena.
1210:12 Mit 10:14, 32; 14:3; 15:2; 18:7Maneno yatokayo kinywani mwa mtu mwenye hekima
yana neema,
bali mpumbavu huangamizwa
na midomo yake mwenyewe.
13Mwanzoni maneno yake ni upumbavu,
mwishoni ni wazimu mbaya,
1410:14 Yak 4:14; Mit 15:2; Mhu 8:7; 5:3; 9:1naye mpumbavu huzidisha maneno.
Hakuna yeyote ajuaye linalokuja,
ni nani awezaye kueleza ni jambo gani
litakalotokea baada yake?
15Kazi ya mpumbavu humchosha mwenyewe,
hajui njia iendayo mjini.
1610:16 Isa 3:4-12Ole wako, ee nchi ambayo mfalme wako alikuwa mtumwa
na ambayo wakuu wako hufanya karamu asubuhi.
1710:17 Mit 31:4; Kum 14:26; 1Sam 25:36Heri wewe, ee nchi ambayo mfalme wako ni wa uzao wenye kuheshimika
na ambayo wakuu wako hula chakula kwa wakati unaofaa:
ili kupata nguvu na si kwa ajili ya ulevi.
1810:18 Mit 20:4; 24:30-34Kama mtu ni mvivu paa la nyumba huinama,
kutokana na mikono milegevu, nyumba huvuja.
1910:19 Mwa 14:18; Amu 9:13Karamu hufanywa kwa ajili ya kicheko,
nao mvinyo hufurahisha maisha,
lakini fedha ni jawabu la mambo yote.
2010:20 Kut 22:28Usimshutumu mfalme hata ikiwa ni katika mawazo yako,
au kumlaani tajiri katika chumba chako cha kulala,
kwa sababu ndege wa angani wanaweza kuchukua maneno yako,
naye ndege anayeruka anaweza kutoa taarifa ya yale uliyosema.
