Ecclesiastes 10
1 Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
2 The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.
Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
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.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, do not leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
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,
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
6 and riche men sitte bynethe.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
8 He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.
He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
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.
If the ax is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11 If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
12 The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
13 The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?
A fool also multiplies words. Man does not know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
15 The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.
The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he does not know how to go to the city.
16 Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.
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!
18 The hiynesse of housis schal be maad low in slouthis; and the hous schal droppe in the feblenesse of hondis.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
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.
Do not curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and do not 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.
