קֹהֶלֶת 10

1 זְב֣וּבֵי מָ֔וֶת יַבְאִ֥ישׁ יַבִּ֖יעַ שֶׁ֣מֶן רֹוקֵ֑חַ יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּבֹ֖וד סִכְל֥וּת מְעָֽט׃

Dead flies cause the precious oil of the apothecary to become stinking and foaming; so doth a little folly him that is valued for wisdom and honor.

2 לֵ֤ב חָכָם֙ לִֽימִינֹ֔ו וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֹֽו׃

The heart of a wise man is at his right hand; but the heart of a fool is at his left.

3 וְגַם־בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל (כְּשֶׁסָּכָ֥ל) הֹלֵ֖ךְ לִבֹּ֣ו חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל סָכָ֥ל הֽוּא׃

Yea also, on whatever way the fool walketh, doth he lack proper sense, and he saith to all that he is a fool.

4 אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמֹּושֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקֹומְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדֹולִֽים׃

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for submissiveness causeth great offences to be avoided.

5 יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

6 נִתַּ֣ן הַסֶּ֔כֶל בַּמְּרֹומִ֖ים רַבִּ֑ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃

Folly is set in great high places, and the rich sit in lowness.

7 רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants upon the ground.—

8 חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בֹּ֣ו יִפֹּ֑ול וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃

He that diggeth a pit will fall into it; and him who breaketh down a fence—a serpent will bite him.

9 מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בֹּוקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃

Whoso removeth stones will be hurt through them; and he that cleaveth wood will be endangered thereby.

10 אִם־קֵהָ֣ה הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהוּא֙ לֹא־פָנִ֣ים קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר וְיִתְרֹ֥ון הַכְשֵׁ֖יר חָכְמָֽה׃

If the iron be blunt, and man do not whet the edge, then must he exert more strength; but the advantage of making it properly sharp is wisdom.

11 אִם־יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ בְּלֹוא־לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְרֹ֔ון לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֹֽׁון׃

If the serpent do bite because no one uttered a charm, then hath the man that can use his tongue [in charming] no preference.—

12 דִּבְרֵ֥י פִי־חָכָ֖ם חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְתֹ֥ות כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃

The words of a wise man's mouth [bring] grace; but the lips of a fool will destroy himself.

13 תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ הֹולֵל֖וּת רָעָֽה׃

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the last that cometh out of his mouth is evil-bringing madness.

14 וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־יֵדַ֤ע הָאָדָם֙ מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֹֽו׃

The fool also multiplieth words; [but] a man cannot know what is to be; and what is to be after him, who can tell him?

15 עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃

The toil of the foolish will weary every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.—

16 אִֽי־לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is lowminded, and when thy princes eat in the morning!

17 אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־חֹורִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ בָּעֵ֣ת יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃

Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat in proper time, for strengthening, and not for gluttony!—

18 בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם יִמַּ֣ךְ הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת יָדַ֖יִם יִדְלֹ֥ף הַבָּֽיִת׃

Through slothful hands the rafters will sink; and through idleness of the hands the house will become leaky.

19 לִשְׂחֹוק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃

For gay pleasure they prepare a feast, and wine is to make the living joyful; but money procureth all things.

20 גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ מֶ֚לֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֔ל וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ אַל־תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר כִּ֣י עֹ֤וף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יֹולִ֣יךְ אֶת־הַקֹּ֔ול וּבַ֥עַל הַכְּנָפַיִם (כְּנָפַ֖יִם) יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃

Even in thy thought thou must not curse a king; and in thy bed-chambers do not curse the rich; for a bird of the air can carry the sound, and that which hath wings can tell the word.