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.
Mrtve muhe lekarnarjevemu mazilu povzročijo, da od sebe širi smrdljiv vonj; tako je majhna neumnost tistemu, ki ima sloves zaradi modrosti in časti.
2 The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Srce modrega človeka je pri njegovi desnici, toda bedakovo srce pri njegovi levici.
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.
Da, tudi kadar kdor je bedak, hodi po poti, ga njegova modrost izneverja in vsakemu govori, da je bedak.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
Če vladarjev duh vstane zoper tebe, ne zapusti svojega mesta, kajti ustrežljivost pomirja velike prestopke.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
Je zlo, ki sem ga videl pod soncem, kakor pomota, ki izvira od vladarja:
6 folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
neumnost je postavljena na visoko dostojanstvo, bogati pa sedijo na nizkem kraju.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Videl sem služabnike na konjih, prince pa hoditi kakor služabniki po tleh.
8 He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
Kdor koplje jamo, bo padel vanjo, kdorkoli pa lomi ograjo, ga bo pičila kača.
9 Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Kdorkoli odstranja kamne, bo z njimi poškodovan in kdor cepi drva, bo s tem izpostavljen nevarnosti.
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.
Če je železo topo in ne nabrusi ostrine, potem mora vložiti več moči; toda modrost je koristna, da usmerja.
11 If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
Zagotovo bo kača pičila brez izrekanja uroka in blebetavec ni boljši.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
Besede iz ust modrega moža so milostljive, toda ustnice bedaka bodo samega sebe pogoltnile.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Začetek besed iz njegovih ust je nespametnost, konec njegovega govora pa je pogubna norost.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
Tudi bedak je poln besed. Človek ne more povedati kaj bo, in kaj bo za njim, kdo mu lahko pove?
15 The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.
Trud nespametnih izčrpava vsakogar izmed njih, ker ne ve kako iti do mesta.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Gorje tebi, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj otrok in tvoji princi jedo zjutraj!
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!
Blagoslovljena si ti, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj sin plemičev in tvoji princi jedo v pravšnjem obdobju, za moč in ne za pijanost!
18 By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
Z veliko lenobe zgradba propada in zaradi brezdelja rok kaplja skozi hišo.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
Praznovanje je narejeno za smeh in vino dela vesele, toda denar odgovarja vsem stvarem.
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.
Ne preklinjaj kralja niti v svojih mislih in ne preklinjaj bogatega v svoji spalnici, kajti zračna ptica bo odnesla glas in kar ima peruti, bo povedalo zadevo.
