Take notice of this, ¹  you ignorant people! ²  You fools, when will you ever understand?

The wise inherit honor, but he holds fools up ¹  to public contempt. ² 

You who are naive, discern ¹  wisdom! And you fools, understand discernment! ² 

The crown of the wise is their riches, ¹  but the folly ²  of fools is folly.

A rebuke makes a greater impression on ¹  a discerning person than a hundred blows on a fool. ² 

A foolish child is a grief ¹  to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him. ² 

Judgments ¹  are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.

Like legs that hang limp ¹  from the lame, so ²  is a proverb ³  in the mouth of fools.

A wise person’s good sense protects him, ¹  but a fool’s lack of sense leaves him vulnerable. ² 

For the wise man, like ¹  the fool, will not be remembered for very long, ²  because ³  in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. ⁴  Alas, ⁵  the wise man dies – just like ⁶  the fool!

For the waywardness ¹  of the simpletons will kill ²  them, and the careless ease ³  of fools will destroy them.

The one who conceals hatred utters lies, ¹  and the one who spreads ²  slander ³  is certainly ⁴  a fool.

Carrying out a wicked scheme ¹  is enjoyable ²  to a fool, and so is wisdom for the one who has discernment. ³ 

The shrewd person ¹  conceals ²  knowledge, but foolish people ³  publicize folly. ⁴ 

Every shrewd ¹  person acts with knowledge, but a fool displays ²  his folly.

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools abhor ¹  turning away from evil.

The one who associates ¹  with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. ² 

Leave the presence of a foolish person, ¹  or ²  you will not understand ³  wise counsel. ⁴ 

The wisdom of the shrewd person ¹  is to discern ²  his way, but the folly of fools is deception. ³ 

A wise person is cautious ¹  and turns from evil, but a fool throws off restraint ²  and is overconfident. ³