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10:1  Dead flies will make even perfume smell bad. In the same way, a little foolishness can ruin a wise man’s fame for wisdom.
10:2  A wise man’s heart leads him in the right way. But the heart of a foolish person leads him in the wrong way.
10:3  A foolish person is not wise. It shows in everything he does. Even as he walks along the road, he shows everyone how stupid he is.
10:4  Don’t leave your job just because the ruler is angry with you. Remain calm. It will help correct your mistakes.
10:5  Here is something else unfair that happens here on earth. It is the kind of mistake rulers make:
10:6  Foolish people are given important positions while rich people are given less important ones.
10:7  I have seen servants ride on horses while princes walk beside them on foot.
10:8  Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it. Anyone who knocks down a wall might be bitten by a snake.
10:9  Anyone who moves large stones might be hurt by them. And anyone who cuts logs might get hurt while doing it.
10:10  Cutting logs with a dull ax makes you work harder. A wise man will sharpen his ax. In the same way, wisdom can make any job easier.
10:11  Someone might know how to control snakes. But what good is such wisdom if the snake has already bitten him?
10:12  A wise man’s words bring him praise. But a foolish person’s words will destroy him.
10:13  A foolish person begins by saying something foolish. In the end he is saying even crazier things.
10:14  A foolish person talks too much about what he will do. No one knows the future. No one can tell him what will happen after he dies.
10:15  A foolish person doesn’t know even the most obvious things. He can’t even find his way back to town. So he has to wear himself out working.
10:16  How terrible it will be for a country if its king is a child. How terrible it will be for that country if its leaders have parties all the time.
10:17  A country is well off if its king comes from a good family. It is good for a country if its leaders control their eating and drinking. They should eat and drink for strength, not to get drunk.
10:18  If a person is lazy and doesn’t repair the roof, it will begin to fall. If he refuses to fix it, the house will leak.
10:19  A party makes you feel good. And wine makes you feel happy. But both cost you a lot of money.
10:20  Don’t say or think bad things about the king. And don’t say bad things about rich people even alone in your bedroom. A little bird might report it to others. A bird might fly to them and tell all you said.