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. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 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.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 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. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 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? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat 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!
18 ¶ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .
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.
10–BOB
1 Oʻlik pashshalar xushboʻy moyni sasitib yuboradi, shuningdek, ozgina ahmoqlik koʻp donolikdan ogʻirroq chiqadi.
2 Dononing yuragi oʻngga — toʻgʻri ishlarni qilishga, nodonniki esa chapga — fosiqlikka tortadi. 3 Ahmoqlar aqli yetmay, qilgan qiliqlari bilan ham hammaga ahmoqligini koʻrsatadi.
4 Agar hukmdorning sendan jahli chiqsa, joyingni tashlab ketmagin, chunki vazminlik tufayli xafagarchiliklar ham bosilib ketadi.
5 Mana men bu dunyoda koʻrgan fojia, hukmdordan boshlangan katta xato: 6 ahmoqlar baland lavozimga koʻtariladi, boylar esa pastda oʻtirishadi. 7 Men yana shuni koʻrdim: zodagonlar xuddi qullarday piyoda yurganda, qullar otda yurardi.
8 Chuqur qaziganning oʻzi unga tushishi, devorni buzganni esa ilon chaqishi mumkin. 9 Tosh kesgan oʻziga zarar yetkazishi, xoda yorgan esa ogʻriqqa duchor boʻlishi mumkin. 10 Agar bolta oʻtmas boʻlsa–yu, uni oʻtkirlamasang, uni ishlatish uchun koʻproq kuch kerak boʻladi. Mana, donolikdan qanday foyda bor ekan. 11 Ammo ilon oʻynatilmasdan oldin chaqib olsa, ilon oʻynatuvchiga donishmandlikning nima foydasi bor?!
12 Donolarning soʻzlari ularga hurmat keltiradi, nodonlarning soʻzlari esa oʻzlarini halok qiladi. 13 Ularning soʻzlari ahmoqlik bilan boshlanib, gʻirt telbalik bilan tugaydi, 14 shunda ham ahmoqlar gapiraveradilar. Hech kim nima boʻlishini bilmaydi, kim bizga kelajakni aytib bera oladi?! 15 Nodonning harakatlari uni juda charchatadi, chunki u shunchalik ahmoqki, shaharga boradigan yoʻlni ham qayta topa olmaydi.
16 Ey shohi yosh boʻlgan, hukmdorlari ertalabdan ziyofat qiladigan yurt, senga afsus–nadomatlar boʻlsin. 17 Shohi asilzoda boʻlgan, hukmdorlari mayxoʻrlik uchun emas, kuch toʻplash uchun oʻz vaqtida ziyofat qiladigan yurt baxtlidir.
18 Dangasalikdan uyning tomi choʻkadi,
Yalqovlik tufayli tomdan chakki oʻtadi.
19 Ziyofat berilganda koʻngil shodlikka toʻladi,
Sharob insonni xushnud etadi.
Lekin ikkalasi uchun ham pul kerak.
20 Hatto sirdosh doʻstlaring orasida ham shohni laʼnatlama, oʻz yotoqxonangda ham boylarni yomonlama. Yaxshi gapning ham, yomon gapning ham qanoti bordir. Osmondagi qush soʻzlaringni yetkazib borishi mumkin.
