Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti pretiosior est sapientia et gloria parva ad tempus stultitia
2 A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
cor sapientis in dextera eius et cor stulti in sinistra illius
3 Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
sed et in via stultus ambulans cum ipse insipiens sit omnes stultos aestimat
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
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, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
est malum quod vidi sub sole quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis
6 Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes quasi servos super terram
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber
9 Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
qui transfert lapides adfligetur in eis et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
si retunsum fuerit ferrum et hoc non ut prius sed hebetatum erit multo labore exacuatur et post industriam sequitur sapientia
11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
si mordeat serpens in silentio nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
verba oris sapientis gratia et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
initium verborum eius stultitia et novissimum oris illius error pessimus
14 A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
stultus verba multiplicat ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit et quod post futurum est quis illi poterit indicare
15 The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
labor stultorum adfliget eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
vae tibi terra cuius rex est puer et cuius principes mane comedunt
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
beata terra cuius rex nobilis est et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam
18 By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
in pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
in risu faciunt panem ac vinum ut epulentur viventes et pecuniae oboedient omnia
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
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
