伝道者の書 10
1 死し蝿は和香者の膏を臭くしこれを腐らす 少許の愚癡は智慧と尊榮よりも重し
Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.
2 智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
3 愚者は出て途を行にあたりてその心たらず自己の愚なることを一切の人に告ぐ
And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
4 君長たる者汝にむかひて腹たつとも汝の本處を離るる勿れ温順は大なる愆を生ぜしめざるなり
If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
5 我日の下に一の患事あるを見たり是は君長たる者よりいづる過誤に似たり
There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
6 すなはち愚なる者高き位に置かれ貴き者卑き處に坐る
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
7 我また僕たる者が馬に乗り王侯たる者が僕のごとく地の上に歩むを觀たり
I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
8 坑を掘る者はみづから之におちいり石垣を毀つ者は蛇に咬れん
He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 石を打くだく者はそれがために傷を受け木を割る者はそれがために危難に遭ん
He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
10 鐵の鈍くなれるあらんにその刃を磨ざれば力を多く之にもちひざるを得ず 智慧は功を成に益あるなり
If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.
11 蛇もし呪術を聽ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
12 智者の口の言語は恩徳あり 愚者の唇はその身を呑ほろぼす
The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
13 愚者の口の言は始は愚なり またその言は終は狂妄にして惡し
The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
14 愚者は言詞を衆くす 人は後に有ん事を知ず 誰かその身の後にあらんところの事を述るを得ん
For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 愚者の勞苦はその身を疲らす彼は邑にいることをも知ざるなり
The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
16 その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなす國よ 汝は禍なるかな
Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
17 その王は貴族の子またその侯伯は酔樂むためならず力を補ふために適宜き時に食をなす國よ 汝は福なるかな
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.
18 懶惰ところよりして屋背は落ち 手を垂をるところよりして家屋は漏る
By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
19 食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし酒をもて快樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
20 汝心の中にても王たる者を詛ふなかれ また寝室にても富者を詛なかれ 天空の鳥その聲を傳へ羽翼ある者その事を布べければなり
Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
