Ecclesiastes 10
1 Muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat.
Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris: quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
5 Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
7 Vidi servos in equis: et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis.
Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia: et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum:
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit: et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 Vae tibi terra, cuius rex puer est, et cuius principes mane comedunt.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
17 Beata terra, cuius rex nobilis est, et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
19 In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniae obediunt omnia.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
20 In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves caeli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annunciabit sententiam.
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.
