A Little Foolishness

10 Dead flies turn a ^(A)perfumer’s oil rancid, so a little foolishness is more ^[a]potent than wisdom and honor. ² A wise person’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish ^(B)person’s heart directs him toward the left. ³ Even when the fool walks along the road, his ^[b]sense is lacking, and he ^[c](C)demonstrates to everyone that he is a fool. ⁴ If the ruler’s ^[d]temper rises against you, ^(D)do not abandon your place, because ^(E)composure puts great offenses to rest.

⁵ There is an evil I have seen under the sun, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler: ^6 (F)foolishness is set in many exalted places while the rich sit in humble places. ⁷ I have seen ^(G)slaves riding ^(H)on horses and princes walking like slaves on the land.

^8 (I)One who digs a pit may fall into it, and a ^(J)serpent may bite one who breaks through a wall. ⁹ One who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and one who splits logs may be endangered by them. ¹⁰ If the ^[e]axe is dull and he does not sharpen its ^[f]edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. ¹¹ If the serpent bites ^[g](K)before being charmed, there is no benefit for the charmer. ^12 (L)Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a ^(M)fool consume him; ¹³ the beginning of ^[h]his talking is foolishness, and the end of ^[i]it is evil ^(N)insanity. ¹⁴ Yet the ^(O)fool multiplies words. No person knows what will happen, and who can tell him ^(P)what will come after him? ¹⁵ The labor of ^[j]a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city. ¹⁶ Woe to you, land whose ^(Q)king is a boy, and whose princes ^[k]feast in the morning. ¹⁷ Blessed are you, land whose king is of nobility, and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for ^(R)drunkenness. ¹⁸ Through ^(S)extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks. ¹⁹ People prepare a meal for enjoyment, ^(T)wine makes life joyful, and ^(U)money ^[l]is the answer to everything. ²⁰ Furthermore, ^(V)in your bedroom do not ^(W)curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich person; for a bird of the sky will bring the sound, and the winged one will make your word known.

Proclaim Sound Doctrine

2 But as for you, proclaim the things which are fitting for ^(A)sound doctrine. ^2 (B)Older men are to be ^[a](C)temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ^(D)sound ^(E)in faith, in love, in ^[b]perseverance.

³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(F)not malicious gossips nor ^(G)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may ^[c]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(H)workers at home, kind, being ^(I)subject to their own husbands, ^(J)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

⁶ Likewise urge ^(K)the young men to be ^[d]sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be ^(L)an example of good deeds, with ^[e]purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, ^(M)so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

⁹ Urge ^[f](N)slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not ^[g]argumentative, ¹⁰ not stealing, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ^(O)God our Savior in every respect.

¹¹ For the grace of God has ^(P)appeared, ^[h](Q)bringing salvation to all people, ^12 [i]instructing us to deny ungodliness and ^(R)worldly desires and ^(S)to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner ^(T)in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the ^(U)appearing of the glory of ^[j](V)our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, ¹⁴ who ^(W)gave Himself for us ^(X)to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to ^(Y)purify for Himself a ^(Z)people for His own possession, ^(AA)eager for good deeds.

¹⁵ These things speak and ^[k](AB)exhort, and ^(AC)rebuke with all authority. ^(AD)No one is to disregard you.