< קֹהֶלֶת 10 >
זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ יָקָר מֵחׇכְמָה מִכָּבוֹד סִכְלוּת מְעָֽט׃ | 1 |
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
לֵב חָכָם לִֽימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃ | 2 |
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
וְגַם־בַּדֶּרֶךְ (כשהסכל) [כְּשֶׁסָּכָל] הֹלֵךְ לִבּוֹ חָסֵר וְאָמַר לַכֹּל סָכָל הֽוּא׃ | 3 |
Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
אִם־רוּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל תַּעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ מְקוֹמְךָ אַל־תַּנַּח כִּי מַרְפֵּא יַנִּיחַ חֲטָאִים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ | 4 |
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
יֵשׁ רָעָה רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁיֹּצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ | 5 |
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
נִתַּן הַסֶּכֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִים רַבִּים וַעֲשִׁירִים בַּשֵּׁפֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ | 6 |
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים עַל־סוּסִים וְשָׂרִים הֹלְכִים כַּעֲבָדִים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 7 |
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
חֹפֵר גּוּמָּץ בּוֹ יִפּוֹל וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃ | 8 |
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם בּוֹקֵעַ עֵצִים יִסָּכֶן בָּֽם׃ | 9 |
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
אִם־קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל וְהוּא לֹא־פָנִים קִלְקַל וַחֲיָלִים יְגַבֵּר וְיִתְרוֹן הַכְשֵׁיר חׇכְמָֽה׃ | 10 |
If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
אִם־יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלוֹא־לָחַשׁ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃ | 11 |
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
דִּבְרֵי פִי־חָכָם חֵן וְשִׂפְתוֹת כְּסִיל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ | 12 |
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי־פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ הוֹלֵלוּת רָעָֽה׃ | 13 |
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
וְהַסָּכָל יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים לֹא־יֵדַע הָאָדָם מַה־שֶּׁיִּֽהְיֶה וַאֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה מֵֽאַחֲרָיו מִי יַגִּיד לֽוֹ׃ | 14 |
A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָדַע לָלֶכֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃ | 15 |
The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
אִֽי־לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נָעַר וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ | 16 |
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִים וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ בִּגְבוּרָה וְלֹא בַשְּׁתִֽי׃ | 17 |
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם יִדְלֹף הַבָּֽיִת׃ | 18 |
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
לִשְׂחוֹק עֹשִׂים לֶחֶם וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח חַיִּים וְהַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃ | 19 |
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
גַּם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ מֶלֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל וּבְחַדְרֵי מִשְׁכָּבְךָ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל עָשִׁיר כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת־הַקּוֹל וּבַעַל (הכנפים) [כְּנָפַיִם] יַגֵּיד דָּבָֽר׃ | 20 |
Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.