Мёртвые мухи портят и делают зловонною благовонную масть мироварника: то же делает небольшая глупость уважаемого человека с его мудростью и честью.
As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.
As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
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.
Dead[a] flies [b]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.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.