Propovjednik 10
1 Uginula muha usmrdi mirisno ulje, a i malo ludosti jače je od mudrosti i časti.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Mudrac kroči pravim putem, a luđak krivim.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Dovoljno je da luđak pođe putem: kako razbora nema, svakomu pokazuje da je lud.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Ako se na te digne vladaočev gnjev, ne ostavljaj svoga mjesta, jer blagost sprečava velike grijehe.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Ima zlo što ga vidjeh pod suncem kao prestupak koji dolazi od vladaoca:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 ludost se podiže na najviša mjesta, a veliki zauzimaju niske položaje.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Vidjeh sluge na konjima, a knezove gdje idu pješice kao sluge.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Tko jamu kopa, u nju pada; i tko ruši zid, ujeda ga zmija.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Tko lomi kamenje, ono ga ranjava; tko cijepa drva, može nastradati.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Kad zatupi željezo i oštrica mu nije nabrušena, tada treba više snage; a nagrada mudrosti je uspjeh.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Ako zmija ujede prije čaranja, ništa onda opčaratelj ne koristi.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Pune su miline riječi iz usta mudraca, a bezumnika upropašćuju njegove usne.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 On počinje svoje besjede ludošću i svršava ih potpunim bezumljem.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 Luđak previše govori: čovjek ne poznaje budućnost, i tko mu može kazati što će poslije njega biti?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Luđake mori njihov trud; tko ne zna puta, ne može u grad.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Jao tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj premlad i knezovi se već ujutro goste.
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Blago tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj plemenit i knezovi ti u svoje vrijeme blaguju da se okrijepe, a ne da se opiju.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 S lijenosti se ugiblju grede, zbog nebrige prokišnjava kuća.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Ali su gozbe radi zabave i vino uveseljava život, a novci pribavljaju sve.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Ni u svojoj misli ne kuni kralja, ni u svojoj ložnici ne kuni bogataša, jer će ptice odnijeti glas i kleveta lako okrilati.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
