Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
死し蝿は和香者の膏を臭くしこれを腐らす 少許の愚癡は智慧と尊榮よりも重し
2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
愚者は出て途を行にあたりてその心たらず自己の愚なることを一切の人に告ぐ
4 If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
君長たる者汝にむかひて腹たつとも汝の本處を離るる勿れ温順は大なる愆を生ぜしめざるなり
5 Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
我日の下に一の患事あるを見たり是は君長たる者よりいづる過誤に似たり
6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
すなはち愚なる者高き位に置かれ貴き者卑き處に坐る
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
我また僕たる者が馬に乗り王侯たる者が僕のごとく地の上に歩むを觀たり
8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
坑を掘る者はみづから之におちいり石垣を毀つ者は蛇に咬れん
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
石を打くだく者はそれがために傷を受け木を割る者はそれがために危難に遭ん
10 If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
鐵の鈍くなれるあらんにその刃を磨ざれば力を多く之にもちひざるを得ず 智慧は功を成に益あるなり
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
蛇もし呪術を聽ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
智者の口の言語は恩徳あり 愚者の唇はその身を呑ほろぼす
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
愚者の口の言は始は愚なり またその言は終は狂妄にして惡し
14 Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
愚者は言詞を衆くす 人は後に有ん事を知ず 誰かその身の後にあらんところの事を述るを得ん
15 The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
愚者の勞苦はその身を疲らす彼は邑にいることをも知ざるなり
16 Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなす國よ 汝は禍なるかな
17 How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
その王は貴族の子またその侯伯は酔樂むためならず力を補ふために適宜き時に食をなす國よ 汝は福なるかな
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
懶惰ところよりして屋背は落ち 手を垂をるところよりして家屋は漏る
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし酒をもて快樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
20 Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
汝心の中にても王たる者を詛ふなかれ また寝室にても富者を詛なかれ 天空の鳥その聲を傳へ羽翼ある者その事を布べければなり
