Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour.
Uginula muha usmrdi mirisno ulje, a i malo ludosti jače je od mudrosti i časti.
2 A wise man’s heart [is] at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
Mudrac kroči pravim putem, a luđak krivim.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he [is] a fool.
Dovoljno je da luđak pođe putem: kako razbora nema, svakomu pokazuje da je lud.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
Ako se na te digne vladaočev gnjev, ne ostavljaj svoga mjesta, jer blagost sprečava velike grijehe.
5 There is an evil [which] I have seen under the sun, as an error [which] proceedeth from the ruler:
Ima zlo što ga vidjeh pod suncem kao prestupak koji dolazi od vladaoca:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
ludost se podiže na najviša mjesta, a veliki zauzimaju niske položaje.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Vidjeh sluge na konjima, a knezove gdje idu pješice kao sluge.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Tko jamu kopa, u nju pada; i tko ruši zid, ujeda ga zmija.
9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
Tko lomi kamenje, ono ga ranjava; tko cijepa drva, može nastradati.
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom [is] profitable to direct.
Kad zatupi željezo i oštrica mu nije nabrušena, tada treba više snage; a nagrada mudrosti je uspjeh.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
Ako zmija ujede prije čaranja, ništa onda opčaratelj ne koristi.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth [are] gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Pune su miline riječi iz usta mudraca, a bezumnika upropašćuju njegove usne.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] foolishness: and the end of his talk [is] mischievous madness.
On počinje svoje besjede ludošću i svršava ih potpunim bezumljem.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
Luđak previše govori: čovjek ne poznaje budućnost, i tko mu može kazati što će poslije njega biti?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Luđake mori njihov trud; tko ne zna puta, ne može u grad.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Jao tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj premlad i knezovi se već ujutro goste.
17 Blessed [art] thou, O land, when thy king [is] the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Blago tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj plemenit i knezovi ti u svoje vrijeme blaguju da se okrijepe, a ne da se opiju.
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
S lijenosti se ugiblju grede, zbog nebrige prokišnjava kuća.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all [things].
Ali su gozbe radi zabave i vino uveseljava život, a novci pribavljaju sve.
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.
Ni u svojoj misli ne kuni kralja, ni u svojoj ložnici ne kuni bogataša, jer će ptice odnijeti glas i kleveta lako okrilati.
