Propovjednik 10
1 Uginula muha usmrdi mirisno ulje, a i malo ludosti jače je od mudrosti i časti.
Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
2 Mudrac kroči pravim putem, a luđak krivim.
The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3 Dovoljno je da luđak pođe putem: kako razbora nema, svakomu pokazuje da je lud.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
4 Ako se na te digne vladaočev gnjev, ne ostavljaj svoga mjesta, jer blagost sprečava velike grijehe.
If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
5 Ima zlo što ga vidjeh pod suncem kao prestupak koji dolazi od vladaoca:
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
6 ludost se podiže na najviša mjesta, a veliki zauzimaju niske položaje.
He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
7 Vidjeh sluge na konjima, a knezove gdje idu pješice kao sluge.
I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Tko jamu kopa, u nju pada; i tko ruši zid, ujeda ga zmija.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
9 Tko lomi kamenje, ono ga ranjava; tko cijepa drva, može nastradati.
Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
10 Kad zatupi željezo i oštrica mu nije nabrušena, tada treba više snage; a nagrada mudrosti je uspjeh.
If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11 Ako zmija ujede prije čaranja, ništa onda opčaratelj ne koristi.
If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12 Pune su miline riječi iz usta mudraca, a bezumnika upropašćuju njegove usne.
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
13 On počinje svoje besjede ludošću i svršava ih potpunim bezumljem.
The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
14 Luđak previše govori: čovjek ne poznaje budućnost, i tko mu može kazati što će poslije njega biti?
And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
15 Luđake mori njihov trud; tko ne zna puta, ne može u grad.
The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
16 Jao tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj premlad i knezovi se već ujutro goste.
Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
17 Blago tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj plemenit i knezovi ti u svoje vrijeme blaguju da se okrijepe, a ne da se opiju.
Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
18 S lijenosti se ugiblju grede, zbog nebrige prokišnjava kuća.
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
19 Ali su gozbe radi zabave i vino uveseljava život, a novci pribavljaju sve.
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
20 Ni u svojoj misli ne kuni kralja, ni u svojoj ložnici ne kuni bogataša, jer će ptice odnijeti glas i kleveta lako okrilati.
Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
