Ecclesiastes 10
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
死し蝿は和香者の膏を臭くしこれを腐らす 少許の愚癡は智能と尊榮よりも重し
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
愚者は出て途を行にあたりてその心たらず自己の愚なることを一切の人に告ぐ
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
君長たる者汝にむかひて腹たつとも汝の本處を離るる勿れ温順は大なる愆を生ぜしめざるなり
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
我日の下に一の患事あるを見たり是は君長たる者よりいづる過誤に似たり
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
すなはち愚なる者高き位に置かれ貴き者卑き處に坐る
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
我また僕たる者が馬に乗り王侯たる者が僕のごとく地の上に歩むを観たり
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
坑を据る者はみづから之におちいり石垣を毀つ者は蛇に咬れん
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
石を打くだく者はそれがために傷を受け木を割る者はそれがために危難に遭ん
10 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.
鐵の鈍くなれるあらんにその刃を磨ざれば力を多く之にもちひざるを得ず 智慧は功を成に益あるなり
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
蛇もし呪術を聴ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
智者の口の言語は恩徳あり 愚者の唇はその身を呑ほろぼす
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
愚者の口の言は始は愚なり またその言は終は狂妄にして惡し
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
愚者は言詞を衆くす 人は後に有ん事を知ず 誰かその身の後にあらんところの事を述るを得ん
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
愚者の労苦はその身を疲らす彼は邑にいることをも知ざるなり
16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなず國よ 汝は禍なるかな
17 Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
その王は貴族の子またその侯伯は酔樂むためならず力を補ふために適宜き時に食をなす國よ 汝は福なるかな
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
懶惰ところよりして屋背は落ち 手を垂をるところよりして家屋は漏る
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし洒をもて決樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
20 Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
汝心の中にても王たる者を詛ふなかれ また寝室にても富者を詛なかれ 天空の鳥その聲を傳へ羽翼ある者その事を布べければなり
