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.
muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti pretiosior est sapientia et gloria parva ad tempus stultitia
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
cor sapientis in dextera eius et cor stulti in sinistra illius
3 Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
sed et in via stultus ambulans cum ipse insipiens sit omnes stultos aestimat
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te locum tuum ne dimiseris quia curatio cessare faciet peccata maxima
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
est malum quod vidi sub sole quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes quasi servos super terram
8 He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber
9 He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
qui transfert lapides adfligetur in eis et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis
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.
si retunsum fuerit ferrum et hoc non ut prius sed hebetatum erit multo labore exacuatur et post industriam sequitur sapientia
11 If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
si mordeat serpens in silentio nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
verba oris sapientis gratia et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
initium verborum eius stultitia et novissimum oris illius error pessimus
14 A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
stultus verba multiplicat ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit et quod post futurum est quis illi poterit indicare
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
labor stultorum adfliget eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
vae tibi terra cuius rex est puer et cuius principes mane comedunt
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!
beata terra cuius rex nobilis est et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
in pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
in risu faciunt panem ac vinum ut epulentur viventes et pecuniae oboedient omnia
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.
in cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti quia avis caeli portabit vocem tuam et qui habet pinnas adnuntiabit sententiam
