Ecclesiastes 10
1 [A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
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 If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
智慧人的心傾向右，愚人的心偏向左。
3 Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
愚人連在走路時，也是無知，並稱眾人皆糊塗。
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
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 something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
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 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
愚人佔居高位，貴人屈居下位。
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
我看見僕人騎馬，而王侯反像僕人一樣步行。
8 [It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中，拆毀牆壁的必被蛇咬傷；
9 If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
開鑿石頭的必為石壓傷，砍伐樹木的必遭遇危險。
10 If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
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 snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
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 Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
智者口中的語言，為人有益；愚人的口舌卻自招滅亡：
13 When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
他口中的語言，開始是愚昧，最後卻是殘忍的狂語。
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
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 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
愚人以勞碌為煩惱，因為連怎樣進城，他也不知道。
16 Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
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 [But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
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 Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
屋頂坍塌，由於怠惰；房屋滴漏，由於手懶。
19 Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
設宴是為歡樂，酒可使生活愉快；錢能應付一切。
20 Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
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。
