קֹהֶלֶת 10
| זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה מִכָּבוֹד סִכְלוּת מְעָֽט׃ | 1 |
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
| 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 |
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
| אִם־רוּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל תַּעֲלֶה עָלֶיךָ מְקוֹמְךָ אַל־תַּנַּח כִּי מַרְפֵּא יַנִּיחַ חֲטָאִים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ | 4 |
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.
| יֵשׁ רָעָה רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁיֹּצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ | 5 |
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
| נִתַּן הַסֶּכֶל בַּמְּרוֹמִים רַבִּים וַעֲשִׁירִים בַּשֵּׁפֶל יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ | 6 |
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
| רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים עַל־סוּסִים וְשָׂרִים הֹלְכִים כַּעֲבָדִים עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | 7 |
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
| חֹפֵר גּוּמָּץ בּוֹ יִפּוֹל וּפֹרֵץ גָּדֵר יִשְּׁכֶנּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃ | 8 |
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
| מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם בּוֹקֵעַ עֵצִים יִסָּכֶן בָּֽם׃ | 9 |
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
| אִם־קֵהָה הַבַּרְזֶל וְהוּא לֹא־פָנִים קִלְקַל וַחֲיָלִים יְגַבֵּר וְיִתְרוֹן הכשיר הַכְשֵׁר חָכְמָֽה׃ | 10 |
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.
| אִם־יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלוֹא־לָחַשׁ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃ | 11 |
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
| דִּבְרֵי פִי־חָכָם חֵן וְשִׂפְתוֹת כְּסִיל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ | 12 |
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
| תְּחִלַּת דִּבְרֵי־פִיהוּ סִכְלוּת וְאַחֲרִית פִּיהוּ הוֹלֵלוּת רָעָֽה׃ | 13 |
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
| וְהַסָּכָל יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים לֹא־יֵדַע הָאָדָם מַה־שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶה וַאֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה מֵֽאַחֲרָיו מִי יַגִּיד לֽוֹ׃ | 14 |
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
| עֲמַל הַכְּסִילִים תְּיַגְּעֶנּוּ אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָדַע לָלֶכֶת אֶל־עִֽיר׃ | 15 |
The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
| אִֽי־לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נָעַר וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ | 16 |
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
| אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן־חוֹרִים וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יֹאכֵלוּ בִּגְבוּרָה וְלֹא בַשְּׁתִֽי׃ | 17 |
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.
| בַּעֲצַלְתַּיִם יִמַּךְ הַמְּקָרֶה וּבְשִׁפְלוּת יָדַיִם יִדְלֹף הַבָּֽיִת׃ | 18 |
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
| לִשְׂחוֹק עֹשִׂים לֶחֶם וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח חַיִּים וְהַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃ | 19 |
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
| גַּם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ מֶלֶךְ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל וּבְחַדְרֵי מִשְׁכָּבְךָ אַל־תְּקַלֵּל עָשִׁיר כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת־הַקּוֹל וּבַעַל הכנפים כְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּיד דָּבָֽר׃ | 20 |
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.
