# As dead flies ... so a little folly

Just as flies can ruin perfume, so folly can ruin a person's reputation for wisdom and honor. This speaks of how a little folly can ruin a person's reputation in the same way that a few dead flies ruin perfume. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]])

# a little folly can overpower wisdom and honor

This speaks of how a person acting foolishly can ruin his reputation as if his "folly" and "wisdom and honor" were people and that his folly overpowered his wisdom and honor. AT: "committing a little folly can ruin a person's wisdom and honor" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# The heart of a wise person ... the heart of a fool

Here the word "heart" refers to the mind or will. AT: "The way a wise person thinks ... the way a fool thinks" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# tends to the right ... tends to the left

Here the words "right" and "left" refer to what is right and wrong. AT: "tends to doing what is right ... tends to doing what is wrong" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])

# his thinking is deficient

This refers to the way that he acts. AT: "he is stupid" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])