Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 10

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.	1 One dead fly can spoil the scent-maker's oil: a grain of stupidity outweighs wisdom and glory.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.	2 The sage's heart leads him aright, the fool's leads him astray.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.	3 A fool walks down the road, he has no wit -- and everyone remarks, 'How silly he is!'
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.	4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post; composure mitigates grave offences.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:	5 One evil I observe under the sun: the sort of misjudgement to which rulers are prone-
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.	6 fol y promoted to the top and the rich taking the lowest place.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.	7 I see slaves riding on horses and princes on foot like slaves.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.	8 He who digs a pit fal s into it, he who undermines a wal gets bitten by a snake,
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.	9 he who quarries stones gets hurt by them, he who chops wood takes a risk from it.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.	10 If, for want of sharpening, the blade is blunt, you have to work twice as hard; but it is the outcome that makes wisdom rewarding.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.	11 If, for want of charming, the snake bites, the snake-charmer gets nothing out of it.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.	12 The sayings of a sage give pleasure, what a fool says procures his own ruin:
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.	13 his words have their origin in stupidity and their ending in treacherous fol y.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?	14 A fool talks a great deal, but none of us in fact can tel the future; what wil happen after us, who cantel ?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.	15 A fool finds hard work very tiring, he cannot even find his own way into town.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!	16 Woe to you, country with a lad for king, and where princes start feasting in the morning!
17 Blessed 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!	17 Happy the land whose king is nobly born, where princes eat at a respectable hour to keepthemselves strong and not merely to revel!
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.	18 Thanks to idleness, the roof-tree gives way, thanks to carelessness, the house lets in the rain.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.	19 We give parties to enjoy ourselves, wine makes us cheerful and money has an answer for everything.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.	20 Do not abuse the king, even in thought, do not abuse a rich man, even in your bedroom, for a bird ofthe air might carry the news, a winged messenger might repeat what you have said.