Fliesזְבוּבֵיof deathמָוֶתmake stink,יַבְאִישׁmake fermentיַבִּיעַthe oilשֶׁמֶןof the perfumer;רוֹקֵחַweightierיָקָרthan wisdom,מֵחָכְמָהthan honor,מִכָּבוֹדis a littleמְעָטwitlessness.סִכְלוּת
The heartלֵבof the wise manחָכָםis at his right,לִימִינוֹand the heartוְלֵבof the senselessכְּסִילat his left.לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ
And evenוְגַםon the road,בַּדֶּרֶךְwhenכְּשֶׁthe witlessסָּכָלwalks,הֹלֵךְhis heartלִבּוֹis lacking,חָסֵרand he saysוְאָמַרto everyoneלַכֹּלthat heהוּאis witless.סָכָל
Ifאִםthe spiritרוּחַof the rulerהַמּוֹשֵׁלrisesתַּעֲלֶהagainst you,עָלֶיךָdo notאַלleaveתַּנַּחyour place,מְקוֹמְךָforכִּיcalmnessמַרְפֵּאlays to restיַנִּיחַgreatגְּדוֹלִיםsins.חֲטָאִים
There isיֵשׁan evilרָעָהI have seenרָאִיתִיunderתַּחַתthe sun,הַשָּׁמֶשׁlike an errorכִּשְׁגָגָהthat goes outשֶׁיֹּצָאfrom beforeמִלִּפְנֵיthe ruler:הַשַּׁלִּיט
witlessnessהַסֶּכֶלis setנִתַּןin manyבַּ רַבִּיםheights,מְּרוֹמִיםand the richוַעֲשִׁירִיםsitיֵשֵׁבוּin a low place.בַּשֵּׁפֶל
I have seenרָאִיתִיslavesעֲבָדִיםon horses,עַל סוּסִיםand princesוְשָׂרִיםwalkingהֹלְכִיםlike slavesכַּעֲבָדִיםon the earth.עַל הָאָרֶץ
Whoever digsחֹפֵרa pitגּוּמָּץwill fallיִפּוֹלinto it,בּוֹand whoever breaks throughוּפֹרֵץa fence,גָּדֵרa snakeנָחָשׁwill bite him.יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ
Whoever movesמַסִּיעַstonesאֲבָנִיםwill be hurtיֵעָצֵבby them;בָּהֶםwhoever splitsבּוֹקֵעַlogsעֵצִיםwill be endangeredיִסָּכֶןby them.בָּם
Ifאִםthe ironהַבַּרְזֶלis blunt,קֵהָהand heוְהוּאdoes notלֹאsharpenקִלְקַלthe edge,פָנִיםhe must increaseיְגַבֵּרhis strength;וַחֲיָלִיםbut the profitוְיִתְרוֹןof getting it rightהַכְשֵׁרis wisdom.חָכְמָה
Ifאִםthe snakeהַנָּחָשׁbitesיִשֹּׁךְwithoutבְּלוֹאa charm,לָחַשׁthere is noוְאֵיןprofitיִתְרוֹןfor the ownerלְבַעַלof the tongue.הַלָּשׁוֹן
The wordsדִּבְרֵיof the mouthפִיof a wise manחָכָםare favor,חֵןbut the lipsוְשִׂפְתוֹתof the senselessכְּסִילswallow him up.תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ
The beginningתְּחִלַּתof the wordsדִּבְרֵיof his mouthפִיהוּis witlessness,סִכְלוּתand the endוְאַחֲרִיתof his mouthפִּיהוּis evilרָעָהmadness.הוֹלֵלוּת
And the witlessוְהַסָּכָלmultipliesיַרְבֶּהwords;דְבָרִיםthe human beingהָאָדָםdoes notלֹאknowיֵדַעwhatמַה שֶׁwill be,יִּהְיֶהand whatוַאֲשֶׁרwill beיִהְיֶהafter him,מֵאַחֲרָיוwhoמִיwill tell him?יַגִּיד לוֹ
The toilעֲמַלof the senselessהַכְּסִילִיםwearies him,תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּbecauseאֲשֶׁרhe does notלֹאknowיָדַעhow to goלָלֶכֶתto the city.אֶל עִיר
Woeאִיto you,לָךְland,אֶרֶץwhenשֶׁyour kingמַּלְכֵּךְis a boy,נָעַרand your princesוְשָׂרַיִךְeatיֹאכֵלוּin the morning!בַּבֹּקֶר
Happy are you,אַשְׁרֵיךְland,אֶרֶץwhenשֶׁyour kingמַּלְכֵּךְis a sonבֶּןof nobles,חוֹרִיםand your princesוְשָׂרַיִךְeatיֹאכֵלוּat the right time,בָּעֵתwith strengthבִּגְבוּרָהand notוְלֹאwith drunkenness!בַשְּׁתִי
Through lazinessבַּעֲצַלְתַּיִםthe roofהַמְּקָרֶהsinks,יִמַּךְand through droopingוּבְשִׁפְלוּתhandsיָדַיִםthe houseהַבָּיִתleaks.יִדְלֹף
For laughterלִשְׂחוֹקthey makeעֹשִׂיםbread,לֶחֶםand wineוְיַיִןgladdensיְשַׂמַּחlife,חַיִּיםand silverוְהַכֶּסֶףanswersיַעֲנֶהeverything.אֶת הַכֹּל
Evenגַּםin your thoughtבְּמַדָּעֲךָdo notאַלcurseתְּקַלֵּלthe king,מֶלֶךְand in the chambersוּבְחַדְרֵיof your bedמִשְׁכָּבְךָdo notאַלcurseתְּקַלֵּלthe rich,עָשִׁירforכִּיa birdעוֹףof the skyהַשָּׁמַיִםwill carryיוֹלִיךְthe voice,אֶת הַקּוֹלand the ownerוּבַעַלof wingsכְּנָפַיִםwill tellיַגֵּידthe matter.דָּבָר