The Bible
זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רוֹקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּב֖וֹד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃
As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
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.
לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃
A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
וְגַם־בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ (כשהסכל) [כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל] הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבּ֣וֹ חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃
Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
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.
אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקוֹמְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃
There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְר֥וֹן (הכשיר) [הַכְשֵׁ֖ר] חָכְמָֽה׃
If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
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.
אִם־יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלוֹא־לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְר֔וֹן לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הוֹלֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃
The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃
The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
אִֽי־לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֨יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃
Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.
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!
בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י ע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ יוֹלִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקּ֔וֹל וּבַ֥עַל (הכנפים) [כְּנָפַ֖יִם] יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
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.