Ecclesiastes 10
1 [Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
As dead flies cause perfume to stink, so a little folly can overpower wisdom and honor.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
The heart of a wise person tends to the right, but the heart of a fool tends to the left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
When a fool walks down a road, his thinking is deficient, proving to everyone he is a fool.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.]
If the emotions of a ruler rise up against you, do not leave your work. Calm can quiet down great outrage.
5 [Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, a kind of error that comes from a ruler:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Fools are given leadership positions, while successful men are given low positions.
7 Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
I have seen slaves riding horses, and successful men walking like slaves on the ground.
8 Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
Anyone who digs a pit can fall into it, and whenever someone breaks down a wall, a snake can bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
Whoever cuts out stones can be hurt by them, and the man who chops wood is endangered by it.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
If an iron blade is dull, and a man does not sharpen it, then he must use more strength, but wisdom provides an advantage for success.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
If a snake bites before it is charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
13 initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
As words begin to flow from a fool's mouth, foolishness comes out, and at the end his mouth flows with wicked madness.
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
A fool multiplies words, but no one knows what is coming. Who knows what is coming after him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.]
The toil of fools wearies them, so that they do not even know the road to town.
16 [Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
Woe to you, land, if your king is a young boy, and if your leaders begin feasting in the morning!
17 Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
But blessed are you, land, if your king is the son of nobles, and if your leaders eat at the right time, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
Because of laziness the roof sinks in, and because of idle hands the house leaks.
19 In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
People prepare food for laughter, wine brings enjoyment to life, and money fills the need for everything.
20 In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.]
Do not curse the king, not even in your mind, and do not curse rich people in your bedroom. For a bird of the sky might carry your words; whatever has wings can spread the matter.
