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א זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת, יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ; יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה מִכָּבוֹד, סִכְלוּת מְעָט.
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1 Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
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ב לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ.
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2 A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
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ג וְגַם-בַּדֶּרֶךְ כשהסכל כְּשֶׁסָּכָל הֹלֵךְ, לִבּוֹ חָסֵר; וְאָמַר לַכֹּל, סָכָל הוּא.
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3 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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ד אִם-רוּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל תַּעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ, מְקוֹמְךָ אַל-תַּנַּח: כִּי מַרְפֵּא, יַנִּיחַ חֲטָאִים גְּדוֹלִים.
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4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
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ה יֵשׁ רָעָה, רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ--כִּשְׁגָגָה, שֶׁיֹּצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּיט.
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5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
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ו נִתַּן הַסֶּכֶל, בַּמְּרוֹמִים רַבִּים; וַעֲשִׁירִים, בַּשֵּׁפֶל יֵשֵׁבוּ.
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6 Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
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ז רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים, עַל-סוּסִים; וְשָׂרִים הֹלְכִים כַּעֲבָדִים, עַל-הָאָרֶץ.
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7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
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ח חֹפֵר גּוּמָּץ, בּוֹ יִפּוֹל; וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר, יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ נָחָשׁ.
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8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
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ט מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים, יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם; בּוֹקֵעַ עֵצִים, יִסָּכֶן בָּם.
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9 Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
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י אִם-קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל, וְהוּא לֹא-פָנִים קִלְקַל, וַחֲיָלִים, יְגַבֵּר; וְיִתְרוֹן הַכְשֵׁיר, חָכְמָה.
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10 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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יא אִם-יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ, בְּלוֹא-לָחַשׁ; וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן, לְבַעַל הַלָּשׁוֹן.
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11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
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יב דִּבְרֵי פִי-חָכָם, חֵן; וְשִׂפְתוֹת כְּסִיל, תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ.
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12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
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יג תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי-פִיהוּ, סִכְלוּת; וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ, הוֹלֵלוּת רָעָה.
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13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
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יד וְהַסָּכָל, יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים; לֹא-יֵדַע הָאָדָם, מַה-שֶּׁיִּהְיֶה, וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מֵאַחֲרָיו, מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ.
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14 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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טו עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים, תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ--אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדַע, לָלֶכֶת אֶל-עִיר.
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15 The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
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טז אִי-לָךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נָעַר; וְשָׂרַיִךְ, בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵלוּ.
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16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
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יז אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ, שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן-חוֹרִים; וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ, בִּגְבוּרָה וְלֹא בַשְּׁתִי.
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17 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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יח בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם, יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה; וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם, יִדְלֹף הַבָּיִת.
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18 By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
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יט לִשְׂחוֹק עֹשִׂים לֶחֶם, וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח חַיִּים; וְהַכֶּסֶף, יַעֲנֶה אֶת-הַכֹּל.
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19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
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כ גַּם בְּמַדָּעֲךָ, מֶלֶךְ אַל-תְּקַלֵּל, וּבְחַדְרֵי מִשְׁכָּבְךָ, אַל-תְּקַלֵּל עָשִׁיר: כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת-הַקּוֹל, וּבַעַל הכנפים כְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּיד דָּבָר.
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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.
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