傳道書 10
1 一個死蒼蠅能敗壞一碗製香膏者的香膏；一點愚昧也能敗壞智慧和尊榮。
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 智慧人的心傾向右，愚人的心偏向左。
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 愚人連在走路時，也是無知，並稱眾人皆糊塗。
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 若當權者向你生氣，你不可離棄崗位，因為心平氣和能避免大錯。
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 我在太陽下見了一件不幸的事，似乎是出於掌權者的錯誤：
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 愚人佔居高位，貴人屈居下位。
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 我看見僕人騎馬，而王侯反像僕人一樣步行。
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中，拆毀牆壁的必被蛇咬傷；
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 開鑿石頭的必為石壓傷，砍伐樹木的必遭遇危險。
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 鐵器鈍了，如不將刃磨快，必費許多氣力；成功是智慧的效能。
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 行法術之前，就已被蛇咬傷，法術於行法術的人，就沒有好處。
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 智者口中的語言，為人有益；愚人的口舌卻自招滅亡：
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 他口中的語言，開始是愚昧，最後卻是殘忍的狂語。
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 愚人只知多言：「將來的事怎樣，人不知道，人身後的事，有誰來告訴他﹖」
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 愚人以勞碌為煩惱，因為連怎樣進城，他也不知道。
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 邦國，你的君王若是一個幼童，你的長官若清晨宴飲，你就有禍了!
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 邦國，你的君王若出身顯貴，你的長官若宴飲有時，只求養身，不為快樂，那你就有福了。
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 屋頂坍塌，由於怠惰；房屋滴漏，由於手懶。
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 設宴是為歡樂，酒可使生活愉快；錢能應付一切。
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 在床塌上，不要詛咒君王；在臥室內，不要咒罵長官，因為空中的飛鳥能傳音，有翅翼的能傳話。
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
