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 少許の愚癡は智能と尊榮よりも重し
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
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 in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in 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
Yea, and the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
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 spirit of him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
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 evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
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
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
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観たり
I have seen servants upon horses: and princes walking on the ground as servants.
8 坑を据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 fall into it: and he that breaketh a 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 removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
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 iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 蛇もし呪術を聴ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
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 the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
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 his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
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
A fool multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 愚者の労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 fools shall afflict them that know not bow to go to the city.
16 その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなず國よ 汝は禍なるかな
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat 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 is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
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 slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし洒をもて決樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
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
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
