Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
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 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
智慧人的心傾向右，愚人的心偏向左。
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
愚人連在走路時，也是無知，並稱眾人皆糊塗。
4 If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
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 an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
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 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
愚人佔居高位，貴人屈居下位。
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
我看見僕人騎馬，而王侯反像僕人一樣步行。
8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中，拆毀牆壁的必被蛇咬傷；
9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
開鑿石頭的必為石壓傷，砍伐樹木的必遭遇危險。
10 If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
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 the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
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 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
智者口中的語言，為人有益；愚人的口舌卻自招滅亡：
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
他口中的語言，開始是愚昧，最後卻是殘忍的狂語。
14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
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 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
愚人以勞碌為煩惱，因為連怎樣進城，他也不知道。
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
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 Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
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 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
屋頂坍塌，由於怠惰；房屋滴漏，由於手懶。
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
設宴是為歡樂，酒可使生活愉快；錢能應付一切。
20 Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
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。
