Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
[Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offences to rest.
Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.]
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
[Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
10 If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
15 The labour of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.]
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
[Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
20 Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell 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.]
