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.
1 ǁŌ hâ ǀgînan ra ǃgâihamxū-e ǀō kais ǁkhās khamib ge
ǂkhari gâsiba gā-aisib tsî ǂkhaisiba a īǂam ǁkhā.
2 Gā-ai khoe-i di ǂgaob ge amǀkhāb ai hâ,
xawe gâ khoe-i dib ge ǁareǀkhāb ai hâ.
3 Gâ khoe-i ga ǃganni ǃnâ ǃgû
xawes ge ǁî-i a gâre ǃkhaisa a ǃgāsa,
tsî-i ge mâ khoe-i hoa-e mâtikōse i a gâre ǃkhaisa ra ǂan kai.
4 Sa ǂgaeǂgui-ao-i ga sa ǃoagu ǁaixao,
tā hâǃnâts a mâsi-i tamas ka io ǃkhai-e xu ǃgûbē.
Sa sâsase hâs ǁî-i di ǁaiba a ǃgamǃgam ǁkhā xuige.
5 ǂKhabab ǃhūbaib ai hâb,
ǂgaeǂgui-ao-i di tsūdība xu hâ khami ība ta ge ge mû.
6 Gâ khoena ǀgapi ǃharodi ǀgaib didi ǃnâ mâihe
tsîn ge ǃkhū hâ khoena ǃnakab ǃharode ra māhe.
7 Tita ge khobon, hāgu ai ra ǃgapin
tsî gaoǀgôan hîa khobon khami ǃhūb ai ra ǃgûna ge mû.
8 Tsau-e ga khao-i ge ǁî-i ǃnâ nîra ǁnā
tsî ǁnā-i hîa ǂnubiǂgoa-e ga khôaǃkhopa-i ge ǀao-i xa nîra nâhe.
9 ǀUina ra ǀhaoǀhao-i ge ǁîn xa ra tsûtsûhe;
ǀaena ra ǁhā-i ge ǁîn xa nî tsûtsûhe.
10 Sîsenūhe ra ǃōs ga
khoe-i xas ǀāǀāhe tama xui-ao a ǂubu,
ots ge ǃnāsa ǀgaiba nî sîsenū,
xawe gā-aisib ge khoe-e ra aiǃgû kai.
11 Mâtits nî ǀaoba ǂauǂau ǃkhaisa ǂans ge hui tama,
ǀaob nî ǂguro nâ tsi ǃkhaisats ga mā-amo.
12 Gā-ain ra mî xūn ge ǁîna ǃgôasiba ra hā-ūba,
xawe di ge gâ khoe-i di mîde ǁî-e ra hapu.
13 ǁÎn di ǃhoatsoatsoas ge a gâ,
tsîs ge ǃhoaǀûs âna a ǂkhaba.
14 Gâ khoe-i ge ǂgui ǃhoaxūna ūhâ.
Khoe-i xare-i ge tare-i nîra ī ǃkhaisa a ǀū.
Tari-e tare-i nî sada ga ǁōs khaoǃgâ ī ǃkhaisa a mî ǁkhā?
15 Sîsenni ge gâ khoe-e ra tsau kai,
î-i tā ǃās ǃoa i nî ǁaru ǀgaus tsîna ǂan.
16 ǃHūb ge kai ǃgomsib ǃnâ hâ, ǁîb di ǂgaeǂgui-ao-i ga a ǂkham
tsîn ga ǁîb di ǂgaeǂgui-aona hoaraga tsuxuba ǂûǂkhaio.
17 Xawe ǁî-i di ǂhunuma mîǁguiga ra ū gao-i tsî mîǁguisa,
ǂhanu ǁaegu ai ǂû,
ǃkhō-oasen tsî ǀhoro tama ǂgaeǂgui-aon xa ra ǂgaeǂguihe ǃhū-i ge a ǃgâiǃgâ.
18 Khoe-i ga oms â-i ǂamǃnâba dī-unus ǃaroma kaise a ǀopesa,
os ge omsa nî ǂnâ tsîb ge oms ǂamǃnâba nî ǁnāǂgâ.
19 ǃGâi ǂû-i ge khoe-e ra ǃgâiaǂgao kai,
tsî ǂauxûi-i ge khoe-e ra ǃgâiǃgâisen kai,
xawes ge marisa a hoaraga xūn di ǃeream.
20 Tā ǂâis ǀkha ǀguis ka xawe gao-aoba ǀâxare
tsî sa ǃnā-omdi ǃnâ ǃkhū hâ-e ǃharaxū.
ǀHommi di ani-i sa domma nî tani
tamas ka io i nî ǁgaboxa ǀguru-e nē ǂhôasa nî ǃhoa xuige.
