Ecclesiastes 10
1 muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti pretiosior est sapientia et gloria parva ad tempus stultitia
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 cor sapientis in dextera eius et cor stulti in sinistra illius
The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
3 sed et in via stultus ambulans cum ipse insipiens sit omnes stultos aestimat
And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
4 si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te locum tuum ne dimiseris quia curatio cessare faciet peccata maxima
If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
5 est malum quod vidi sub sole quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis
There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
7 vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes quasi servos super terram
I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
8 qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber
He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 qui transfert lapides adfligetur in eis et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis
He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
10 si retunsum fuerit ferrum et hoc non ut prius sed hebetatum erit multo labore exacuatur et post industriam sequitur sapientia
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 si mordeat serpens in silentio nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit
If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
12 verba oris sapientis gratia et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum
The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
13 initium verborum eius stultitia et novissimum oris illius error pessimus
The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
14 stultus verba multiplicat ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit et quod post futurum est quis illi poterit indicare
For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 labor stultorum adfliget eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere
The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
16 vae tibi terra cuius rex est puer et cuius principes mane comedunt
Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
17 beata terra cuius rex nobilis est et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam
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 in pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus
By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
19 in risu faciunt panem ac vinum ut epulentur viventes et pecuniae oboedient omnia
They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
20 in cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti quia avis caeli portabit vocem tuam et qui habet pinnas adnuntiabit sententiam
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.
