Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
| זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רֹוקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּבֹ֖וד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃ |
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
| לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינֹ֔ו וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֹֽו׃ |
3 Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
| וְגַם־בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל (כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל) הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבֹּ֣ו חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃ |
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
| אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמֹּושֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקֹומְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדֹולִֽים׃ |
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
| יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ |
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
| נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרֹומִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ |
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
| רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ |
8 He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
| חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בֹּ֣ו יִפֹּ֑ול וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃ |
9 He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
| מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בֹּוקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃ |
10 If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
| אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְרֹ֥ון הַכְשֵׁ֖יר חָכְמָֽה׃ |
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
| אִם־יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלֹוא־לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְרֹ֔ון לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֹֽׁון׃ |
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
| דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְתֹ֥ות כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ |
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
| תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הֹולֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃ |
14 A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
| וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֹֽו׃ |
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
| עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃ |
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
| אִֽי־לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ |
17 Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
| אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חֹורִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃ |
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
| בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃ |
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
| לִשְׂחֹוק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃ |
20 Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
| גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י עֹ֤וף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יֹולִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקֹּ֔ול וּבַ֥עַל הַכְּנָפַיִם (כְּנָפַ֖יִם) יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃ |
