Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
μυῖαι θανατοῦσαι σαπριοῦσιν σκευασίαν ἐλαίου ἡδύσματος τίμιον ὀλίγον σοφίας ὑπὲρ δόξαν ἀφροσύνης μεγάλης
2 The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
καρδία σοφοῦ εἰς δεξιὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ καρδία ἄφρονος εἰς ἀριστερὸν αὐτοῦ
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
καί γε ἐν ὁδῷ ὅταν ἄφρων πορεύηται καρδία αὐτοῦ ὑστερήσει καὶ ἃ λογιεῖται πάντα ἀφροσύνη ἐστίν
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σέ τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς ὅτι ἴαμα καταπαύσει ἁμαρτίας μεγάλας
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
ἔστιν πονηρία ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὡς ἀκούσιον ὃ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος
6 folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
ἐδόθη ὁ ἄφρων ἐν ὕψεσι μεγάλοις καὶ πλούσιοι ἐν ταπεινῷ καθήσονται
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
εἶδον δούλους ἐφ’ ἵππους καὶ ἄρχοντας πορευομένους ὡς δούλους ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
8 He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
ὁ ὀρύσσων βόθρον ἐν αὐτῷ ἐμπεσεῖται καὶ καθαιροῦντα φραγμόν δήξεται αὐτὸν ὄφις
9 Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
ἐξαίρων λίθους διαπονηθήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς σχίζων ξύλα κινδυνεύσει ἐν αὐτοῖς
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
ἐὰν ἐκπέσῃ τὸ σιδήριον καὶ αὐτὸς πρόσωπον ἐτάραξεν καὶ δυνάμεις δυναμώσει καὶ περισσεία τοῦ ἀνδρείου σοφία
11 If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
ἐὰν δάκῃ ὁ ὄφις ἐν οὐ ψιθυρισμῷ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν περισσεία τῷ ἐπᾴδοντι
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
λόγοι στόματος σοφοῦ χάρις καὶ χείλη ἄφρονος καταποντιοῦσιν αὐτόν
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
ἀρχὴ λόγων στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀφροσόνη καὶ ἐσχάτη στόματος αὐτοῦ περιφέρεια πονηρά
14 And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
καὶ ὁ ἄφρων πληθύνει λόγους οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ ἄνθρωπος τί τὸ γενόμενον καὶ τί τὸ ἐσόμενον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ τίς ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτῷ
15 The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.
μόχθος τῶν ἀφρόνων κοπώσει αὐτούς ὃς οὐκ ἔγνω τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς πόλιν
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
οὐαί σοι πόλις ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου νεώτερος καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου ἐν πρωίᾳ ἐσθίουσιν
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
μακαρία σύ γῆ ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου υἱὸς ἐλευθέρων καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου πρὸς καιρὸν φάγονται ἐν δυνάμει καὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσονται
18 By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
ἐν ὀκνηρίαις ταπεινωθήσεται ἡ δόκωσις καὶ ἐν ἀργίᾳ χειρῶν στάξει ἡ οἰκία
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
εἰς γέλωτα ποιοῦσιν ἄρτον καὶ οἶνος εὐφραίνει ζῶντας καὶ τοῦ ἀργυρίου ἐπακούσεται σὺν τὰ πάντα
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
καί γε ἐν συνειδήσει σου βασιλέα μὴ καταράσῃ καὶ ἐν ταμιείοις κοιτώνων σου μὴ καταράσῃ πλούσιον ὅτι πετεινὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀποίσει σὺν τὴν φωνήν καὶ ὁ ἔχων τὰς πτέρυγας ἀπαγγελεῖ λόγον
