קֹהֶלֶת 10
| זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה 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 הכשיר הַכְשֵׁר חָכְמָֽה׃ | 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־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶה 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.
