10:1
One dead fly can spoil the scent-maker's oil: a grain of stupidity outweighs wisdom and glory.
10:2
The sage's heart leads him aright, the fool's leads him astray.
10:3
A fool walks down the road, he has no wit -- and everyone remarks, 'How silly he is!'
10:4
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post; composure mitigates grave offences.
10:5
One evil I observe under the sun: the sort of misjudgement to which rulers are prone-
10:6
folly promoted to the top and the rich taking the lowest place.
10:7
I see slaves riding on horses and princes on foot like slaves.
10:8
He who digs a pit falls into it, he who undermines a wall gets bitten by a snake,
10:9
he who quarries stones gets hurt by them, he who chops wood takes a risk from it.
10:10
If, for want of sharpening, the blade is blunt, you have to work twice as hard; but it is the outcome that makes wisdom rewarding.
10:11
If, for want of charming, the snake bites, the snake-charmer gets nothing out of it.
10:12
The sayings of a sage give pleasure, what a fool says procures his own ruin:
10:13
his words have their origin in stupidity and their ending in treacherous folly.
10:14
A fool talks a great deal, but none of us in fact can tell the future; what will happen after us, who can tell?
10:15
A fool finds hard work very tiring, he cannot even find his own way into town.
10:16
Woe to you, country with a lad for king, and where princes start feasting in the morning!
10:17
Happy the land whose king is nobly born, where princes eat at a respectable hour to keep themselves strong and not merely to revel!
10:18
Thanks to idleness, the roof-tree gives way, thanks to carelessness, the house lets in the rain.
10:19
We give parties to enjoy ourselves, wine makes us cheerful and money has an answer for everything.
10:20
Do not abuse the king, even in thought, do not abuse a rich man, even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air might carry the news, a winged messenger might repeat what you have said.
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