Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.
muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti pretiosior est sapientia et gloria parva ad tempus stultitia
2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.
cor sapientis in dextera eius et cor stulti in sinistra illius
3 Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.
sed et in via stultus ambulans cum ipse insipiens sit omnes stultos aestimat
4 If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.
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, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:
est malum quod vidi sub sole quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis
6 a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.
vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes quasi servos super terram
8 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.
qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber
9 Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.
qui transfert lapides adfligetur in eis et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis
10 If the iron is dull, and if it was not that way before, but has been made dull by much labor, then it will be sharpened. And wisdom will follow after diligence.
si retunsum fuerit ferrum et hoc non ut prius sed hebetatum erit multo labore exacuatur et post industriam sequitur sapientia
11 Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.
si mordeat serpens in silentio nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit
12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence.
verba oris sapientis gratia et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum
13 At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.
initium verborum eius stultitia et novissimum oris illius error pessimus
14 The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him?
stultus verba multiplicat ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit et quod post futurum est quis illi poterit indicare
15 The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.
labor stultorum adfliget eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere
16 Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume in the morning.
vae tibi terra cuius rex est puer et cuius principes mane comedunt
17 Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.
beata terra cuius rex nobilis est et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam
18 By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.
in pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus
19 While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money.
in risu faciunt panem ac vinum ut epulentur viventes et pecuniae oboedient omnia
20 You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion.
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
