Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.
[Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
2 The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
3 And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
4 If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.]
5 There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
[Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
6 Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
7 I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
8 He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
9 He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
10 If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.
Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
11 If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
12 The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;
13 The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
14 For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
15 The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.]
16 Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
[Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.
Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
18 By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
19 They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
20 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.]
