1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness1 will lay great offenses to rest.
5 eThere is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen fslaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
8 He who digs a pit will gfall into it,
and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
9 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
he must use more strength,
but wisdom helps one to succeed.2
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,3
but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
and the end of his talk is evil madness.
14 A fool hmultiplies words,
though ino man knows what is to be,
and jwho can tell him what will be after him?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him,
for he does not know the way to the city.
16 Woe to you, O land, kwhen your king is a child,
and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
and your princes lfeast at the proper time,
for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 mThrough sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks.
19 Bread is made for laughter,
and nwine gladdens life,
and money answers everything.
20 Even in your thoughts, do not ocurse the king,
nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
or some winged creature tell the matter.
I Am the Good Shepherd
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the fshepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep ghear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This hfigure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did inot understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, jI am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will kbe saved and will lgo in and out and find mpasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and nkill and destroy. I came that they may ohave life and have it abundantly. 11 I am pthe good shepherd. The good shepherd qlays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a rshepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and sleaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and tcares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. uI know my own and my own know me, 15 just as vthe Father knows me and wI know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have xother sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and ythey will listen to my voice. So there will be zone flock, aone shepherd. 17 For this reason bthe Father loves me, because I lay down my life cthat I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This dcharge I have received from my Father.”
19 There was again a edivision among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He fhas a demon, and is ginsane; why listen to him?” 21 hOthers said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon iopen the eyes of the blind?”
