Ἐκκλησιαστής 10
1 μυῖαι θανατοῦσαι σαπριοῦσιν σκευασίαν ἐλαίου ἡδύσματος τίμιον ὀλίγον σοφίας ὑπὲρ δόξαν ἀφροσύνης μεγάλης
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 καρδία σοφοῦ εἰς δεξιὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ καρδία ἄφρονος εἰς ἀριστερὸν αὐτοῦ
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 καί γε ἐν ὁδῷ ὅταν ἄφρων πορεύηται καρδία αὐτοῦ ὑστερήσει καὶ ἃ λογιεῖται πάντα ἀφροσύνη ἐστίν
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 ἐὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σέ τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς ὅτι ἴαμα καταπαύσει ἁμαρτίας μεγάλας
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.
5 ἔστιν πονηρία ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὡς ἀκούσιον ὃ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 ἐδόθη ὁ ἄφρων ἐν ὕψεσι μεγάλοις καὶ πλούσιοι ἐν ταπεινῷ καθήσονται
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 εἶδον δούλους ἐφ’ ἵππους καὶ ἄρχοντας πορευομένους ὡς δούλους ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 ὁ ὀρύσσων βόθρον ἐν αὐτῷ ἐμπεσεῖται καὶ καθαιροῦντα φραγμόν δήξεται αὐτὸν ὄφις
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 ἐξαίρων λίθους διαπονηθήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς σχίζων ξύλα κινδυνεύσει ἐν αὐτοῖς
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 ἐὰν ἐκπέσῃ τὸ σιδήριον καὶ αὐτὸς πρόσωπον ἐτάραξεν καὶ δυνάμεις δυναμώσει καὶ περισσεία τοῦ ἀνδρείου σοφία
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 ἐὰν δάκῃ ὁ ὄφις ἐν οὐ ψιθυρισμῷ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν περισσεία τῷ ἐπᾴδοντι
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 λόγοι στόματος σοφοῦ χάρις καὶ χείλη ἄφρονος καταποντιοῦσιν αὐτόν
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 ἀρχὴ λόγων στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀφροσόνη καὶ ἐσχάτη στόματος αὐτοῦ περιφέρεια πονηρά
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 καὶ ὁ ἄφρων πληθύνει λόγους οὐκ ἔγνω ὁ ἄνθρωπος τί τὸ γενόμενον καὶ τί τὸ ἐσόμενον ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ τίς ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτῷ
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 μόχθος τῶν ἀφρόνων κοπώσει αὐτούς ὃς οὐκ ἔγνω τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς πόλιν
The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 οὐαί σοι πόλις ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου νεώτερος καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου ἐν πρωίᾳ ἐσθίουσιν
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 μακαρία σύ γῆ ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου υἱὸς ἐλευθέρων καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου πρὸς καιρὸν φάγονται ἐν δυνάμει καὶ οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσονται
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 ἐν ὀκνηρίαις ταπεινωθήσεται ἡ δόκωσις καὶ ἐν ἀργίᾳ χειρῶν στάξει ἡ οἰκία
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 εἰς γέλωτα ποιοῦσιν ἄρτον καὶ οἶνος εὐφραίνει ζῶντας καὶ τοῦ ἀργυρίου ἐπακούσεται σὺν τὰ πάντα
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 καί γε ἐν συνειδήσει σου βασιλέα μὴ καταράσῃ καὶ ἐν ταμιείοις κοιτώνων σου μὴ καταράσῃ πλούσιον ὅτι πετεινὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀποίσει σὺν τὴν φωνήν καὶ ὁ ἔχων τὰς πτέρυγας ἀπαγγελεῖ λόγον
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
