Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
一個死蒼蠅能敗壞一碗製香膏者的香膏；一點愚昧也能敗壞智慧和尊榮。
2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
智慧人的心傾向右，愚人的心偏向左。
3 Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
愚人連在走路時，也是無知，並稱眾人皆糊塗。
4 If the spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
若當權者向你生氣，你不可離棄崗位，因為心平氣和能避免大錯。
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
我在太陽下見了一件不幸的事，似乎是出於掌權者的錯誤：
6 A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
愚人佔居高位，貴人屈居下位。
7 I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
我看見僕人騎馬，而王侯反像僕人一樣步行。
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中，拆毀牆壁的必被蛇咬傷；
9 He that removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
開鑿石頭的必為石壓傷，砍伐樹木的必遭遇危險。
10 If the iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
鐵器鈍了，如不將刃磨快，必費許多氣力；成功是智慧的效能。
11 If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
行法術之前，就已被蛇咬傷，法術於行法術的人，就沒有好處。
12 The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
智者口中的語言，為人有益；愚人的口舌卻自招滅亡：
13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
他口中的語言，開始是愚昧，最後卻是殘忍的狂語。
14 A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
愚人只知多言：「將來的事怎樣，人不知道，人身後的事，有誰來告訴他﹖」
15 The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
愚人以勞碌為煩惱，因為連怎樣進城，他也不知道。
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the morning.
邦國，你的君王若是一個幼童，你的長官若清晨宴飲，你就有禍了!
17 Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
邦國，你的君王若出身顯貴，你的長官若宴飲有時，只求養身，不為快樂，那你就有福了。
18 By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
屋頂坍塌，由於怠惰；房屋滴漏，由於手懶。
19 For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
設宴是為歡樂，酒可使生活愉快；錢能應付一切。
20 Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
在床塌上，不要詛咒君王；在臥室內，不要咒罵長官，因為空中的飛鳥能傳音，有翅翼的能傳話。
