Predikerens 10
1 Eiterflugor set illtev og æsing i salven åt salvemakeren; ein grand dårskap veg meir enn visdom, meir enn æra.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Vismanns-hug til retta gjeng, og dåre-hug til keiva.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Og kvar helst dåren gjeng, tryt vitet hans, og han segjer frå til kvar og ein at han er ein dåre.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Um hovdings vreide reiser seg mot deg, so gakk ikkje frå din post! For roleg åtferd hindrar mange synder.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Det er ei ulukka som eg hev set under soli liksom eit mistak som kjem frå ein magthavar:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Dårskapen er sett i høge sessar, og rikfolk lyt sitja lågt.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Eg hev set trælar på hesteryggen og hovdingar ganga på sin fot som trælar.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Den som grev ei grav, kann stupa nedi, og den som riv ein mur, kann ormen stinga.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Den som bryt stein, kann få mein; den som høgg ved, kann koma ut i fåre.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Når øksi ikkje bit og han ei slipar eggi, då lyt han bruka dess meir magt. Men visdomen veit å vøla til.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Når ormen sting fyrr ein fær mana, hev manaren ingen fyremun.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Ord av vismanns munn er gudlege, men lipporne på dåren gløyper honom sjølv.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Dei fyrste ordi i hans munn er dårskap, og røda endar reint i arge vitløysa.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 Dåren brukar mange ord, endå ingen mann veit kva som henda skal, og kva som etter hans tid henda skal, kven kann segja honom det?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Dåren møder seg med maset sitt, han som ikkje ein gong veit å gå til byen.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Usælt er du land som hev eit barn til konge, og fyrstar som held etarlag um morgonen!
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Sælt er du land som hev ein adelboren konge, og fyrstar som held sine mål i rette tid på kara-vis og ei med fyll!
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Når leta rår, sig bjelkarne ned, og huset lek når henderne heng. -
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Til gaman held dei gilde, og vin gjev livet gleda, og pengar greider alt.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Ikkje ein gong i tankarne må du banna ein konge, og ikkje i ditt sengrom banna ein rikmann. For himmelens fuglar ber ljoden burt, og dei fløygde melder din tala.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
