Ecclesiastes 10
1 Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.
死苍蝇使做香的膏油发出臭气； 这样，一点愚昧也能败坏智慧和尊荣。
2 The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.
智慧人的心居右； 愚昧人的心居左。
3 But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.
并且愚昧人行路显出无知， 对众人说，他是愚昧人。
4 If the spirit of hym, that hath power, stieth on thee, forsake thou not thi place; for heeling schal make gretteste synnes to ceesse.
掌权者的心若向你发怒， 不要离开你的本位， 因为柔和能免大过。
5 An yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne, and goith out as bi errour fro the face of the prince; a fool set in hiy dignyte,
我见日光之下有一件祸患， 似乎出于掌权的错误，
6 and riche men sitte bynethe.
就是愚昧人立在高位； 富足人坐在低位。
7 I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.
我见过仆人骑马， 王子像仆人在地上步行。
8 He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.
挖陷坑的，自己必掉在其中； 拆墙垣的，必为蛇所咬。
9 He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
凿开石头的，必受损伤； 劈开木头的，必遭危险。
10 If yrun is foldid ayen, and this is not as bifore, but is maad blunt, it schal be maad scharp with myche trauel; and wisdom schal sue aftir bisynesse.
铁器钝了，若不将刃磨快，就必多费气力； 但得智慧指教，便有益处。
11 If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
未行法术以先，蛇若咬人， 后行法术也是无益。
12 The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.
智慧人的口说出恩言； 愚昧人的嘴吞灭自己。
13 The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.
他口中的言语起头是愚昧； 他话的末尾是奸恶的狂妄。
14 A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?
愚昧人多有言语， 人却不知将来有什么事； 他身后的事谁能告诉他呢？
15 The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.
凡愚昧人，他的劳碌使自己困乏， 因为连进城的路，他也不知道。
16 Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
邦国啊，你的王若是孩童， 你的群臣早晨宴乐， 你就有祸了！
17 Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.
邦国啊，你的王若是贵胄之子， 你的群臣按时吃喝， 为要补力，不为酒醉， 你就有福了！
18 The hiynesse of housis schal be maad low in slouthis; and the hous schal droppe in the feblenesse of hondis.
因人懒惰，房顶塌下； 因人手懒，房屋滴漏。
19 In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.
设摆筵席是为喜笑。 酒能使人快活； 钱能叫万事应心。
20 In thi thouyt bacbite thou not the kyng, and in the priuete of thi bed, curse thou not a riche man; for the briddis of heuene schulen bere thi vois, and he that hath pennys, schal telle the sentence.
你不可咒诅君王， 也不可心怀此念； 在你卧房也不可咒诅富户。 因为空中的鸟必传扬这声音， 有翅膀的也必述说这事。
