1. Dead flies cause the perfumer's shemen to send forth a foul odor; so doth a little sichlut outweigh chochmah and kavod.
2. A chacham's lev is at his yamin (right hand); but a kesil's lev is at his semol (left hand).
3. Yea also, when he that is a kesil even walketh along the derech, his sense faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a kesil.
4. If the ruach of the moshel rise up against thee, leave not thy mekom; for calmness pacifieth chata'im gedolim.
5. There is a ra'ah which I have seen under the shemesh, the sort of error which proceedeth from a shalit (ruler);
6. Sekhel (folly) is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
7. I have seen avadim (servants) upon susim, and sarim (princes) walking as avadim upon ha'aretz.
8. He that diggeth a gumatz (pit) shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a nachash shall bite him.
9. Whoso pulleth out avanim (stones) may be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood may be endangered thereby.
10. If the barzel (iron [of the axe]) be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must more strength be marshalled; but chochmah brings success.
11. If the nachash will bite before it is charmed, there is no use in a charmer.
12. The words of a chacham's mouth are chen (gracious); but the lips of a kesil will swallow up himself.
13. The beginning of the words of his mouth is sichlut; and the end of his talk is holelot ra'ah.