Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
Mrtve muhe lekarnarjevemu mazilu povzročijo, da od sebe širi smrdljiv vonj; tako je majhna neumnost tistemu, ki ima sloves zaradi modrosti in časti.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
Srce modrega človeka je pri njegovi desnici, toda bedakovo srce pri njegovi levici.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Da, tudi kadar kdor je bedak, hodi po poti, ga njegova modrost izneverja in vsakemu govori, da je bedak.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
Če vladarjev duh vstane zoper tebe, ne zapusti svojega mesta, kajti ustrežljivost pomirja velike prestopke.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
Je zlo, ki sem ga videl pod soncem, kakor pomota, ki izvira od vladarja:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
neumnost je postavljena na visoko dostojanstvo, bogati pa sedijo na nizkem kraju.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
Videl sem služabnike na konjih, prince pa hoditi kakor služabniki po tleh.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Kdor koplje jamo, bo padel vanjo, kdorkoli pa lomi ograjo, ga bo pičila kača.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
Kdorkoli odstranja kamne, bo z njimi poškodovan in kdor cepi drva, bo s tem izpostavljen nevarnosti.
10 If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
Če je železo topo in ne nabrusi ostrine, potem mora vložiti več moči; toda modrost je koristna, da usmerja.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
Zagotovo bo kača pičila brez izrekanja uroka in blebetavec ni boljši.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
Besede iz ust modrega moža so milostljive, toda ustnice bedaka bodo samega sebe pogoltnile.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Začetek besed iz njegovih ust je nespametnost, konec njegovega govora pa je pogubna norost.
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
Tudi bedak je poln besed. Človek ne more povedati kaj bo, in kaj bo za njim, kdo mu lahko pove?
15 The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
Trud nespametnih izčrpava vsakogar izmed njih, ker ne ve kako iti do mesta.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
Gorje tebi, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj otrok in tvoji princi jedo zjutraj!
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!
Blagoslovljena si ti, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj sin plemičev in tvoji princi jedo v pravšnjem obdobju, za moč in ne za pijanost!
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
Z veliko lenobe zgradba propada in zaradi brezdelja rok kaplja skozi hišo.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
Praznovanje je narejeno za smeh in vino dela vesele, toda denar odgovarja vsem stvarem.
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.
Ne preklinjaj kralja niti v svojih mislih in ne preklinjaj bogatega v svoji spalnici, kajti zračna ptica bo odnesla glas in kar ima peruti, bo povedalo zadevo.
