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10:1  A few dead flies in perfume make all of it stink, and a little foolishness outweighs a lot of wisdom.
10:2  Sensible thoughts lead you to do right; foolish thoughts lead you to do wrong.
10:3  Fools show their stupidity by the way they live; it's easy to see they have no sense.
10:4  Don't give up your job when your boss gets angry. If you stay calm, you'll be forgiven.
10:5  Rulers do some things that are terribly unfair:
10:6  They honor fools, but dishonor the rich;
10:7  they let slaves ride on horses, but force slave owners to walk.
10:8  If you dig a pit, you might fall in; if you break down a wall, a snake might bite you.
10:9  You could even get hurt by chiseling a stone or chopping a log.
10:10  If you don't sharpen your ax, it will be harder to use; if you are wise, you'll know what to do.
10:11  The power to charm a snake does you no good if it bites you anyway.
10:12  If you talk sensibly, you will have friends; if you talk foolishly, you will destroy yourself.
10:13  Fools begin with nonsense, and their stupid chatter ends with disaster.
10:14  They never tire of talking, but none of us really know what the future will bring.
10:15  Fools wear themselves out— they don't know enough to find their way home.
10:16  A country is in for trouble when its ruler is childish, and its leaders party all day long.
10:17  But a nation will prosper when its ruler is mature, and its leaders don't party too much.
10:18  Some people are too lazy to fix a leaky roof— then the house collapses.
10:19  Eating and drinking make you feel happy, and money can buy everything you need.
10:20  Don't let yourself think about cursing the king; don't curse the rich, not even in secret. A little bird might hear and tell everything.