1 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

1 As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink,

so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,

And cause it to give off a foul odor;

So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies can make even perfume stink.

In the same way, a little foolishness can spoil wisdom.

1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink and ferment; so a little folly is weightier than wisdom and honour.

1 Dead flies will make a bottle of perfume stink, and then it is spoiled. A little foolishness outweighs wisdom ⸤and⸥ honor. 

1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil ferment and stink;

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor;

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies cause a bad smell and ruin the ointment of the perfumer.

So also a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1 Dead flies give perfume a bad smell.

And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.

1 Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.