10:1

זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה מִכָּבוֹד סִכְלוּת מְעָט׃

Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; So doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.

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10:2

לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ׃

A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand; but a fool’s understanding at his left.

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10:3

וְגַם־בַּדֶּרֶךְ כשהסכל [כְּשֶׁסָּכָל] הֹלֵךְ לִבּוֹ חָסֵר וְאָמַר לַכֹּל סָכָל הוּא׃

Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

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10:4

אִם־רוּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל תַּעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ מְקוֹמְךָ אַל־תַּנַּח כִּי מַרְפֵּא יַנִּיחַ חֲטָאִים גְּדוֹלִים׃

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.

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10:5

יֵשׁ רָעָה רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁיֹּצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּיט׃

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:

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10:6

נִתַּן הַסֶּכֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִים רַבִּים וַעֲשִׁירִים בַּשֵּׁפֶל יֵשֵׁבוּ׃

Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.

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10:7

רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים עַל־סוּסִים וְשָׂרִים הֹלְכִים כַּעֲבָדִים עַל־הָאָרֶץ׃

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

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10:8

חֹפֵר גּוּמָּץ בּוֹ יִפּוֹל וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ נָחָשׁ׃

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.

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10:9

מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם בּוֹקֵעַ עֵצִים יִסָּכֶן בָּם׃

Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.

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10:10

אִם־קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל וְהוּא לֹא־פָנִים קִלְקַל וַחֲיָלִים יְגַבֵּר וְיִתְרוֹן הכשיר [הַכְשֵׁר] חָכְמָה׃

If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.

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10:11

אִם־יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלוֹא־לָחַשׁ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשׁוֹן׃

If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.

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10:12

דִּבְרֵי פִי־חָכָם חֵן וְשִׂפְתוֹת כְּסִיל תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ׃

The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

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10:13

תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי־פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ הוֹלֵלוּת רָעָה׃

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.

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10:14

וְהַסָּכָל יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים לֹא־יֵדַע הָאָדָם מַה־שֶׁיִּהְיֶה וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מֵאַחֲרָיו מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ׃

A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; And that which shall be after him, Who can tell him?

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10:15

עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדַע לָלֶכֶת אֶל־עִיר׃

The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.

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10:16

אִי־לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נָעַר וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵלוּ׃

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, And thy princes feast in the morning! .

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10:17

אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִים וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ בִּגְבוּרָה וְלֹא בַשְּׁתִי׃

Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, And thy princes eat in due season, In strength, and not in drunkenness!

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10:18

בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם יִדְלֹף הַבָּיִת׃

By slothfulness the rafters sink in; And through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.

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10:19

לִשְׂחוֹק עֹשִׂים לֶחֶם וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח חַיִּים וְהַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת־הַכֹּל׃

A feast is made for laughter, And wine maketh glad the life; And money answereth all things.

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10:20

גַּם בְּמַדָּעֲךָ מֶלֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל וּבְחַדְרֵי מִשְׁכָּבְךָ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל עָשִׁיר כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת־הַקּוֹל וּבַעַל הכנפים [כְּנָפַיִם] יַגֵּיד דָּבָר׃

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.

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