Eclesiastes 10
1 Assim como a mosca morta faz exhalar mau cheiro e evaporar o unguento do perfumador, assim o faz ao famoso em sabedoria e em honra uma pouca de estulticia.
[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 O coração do sabio está á sua dextra, mas o coração do tolo está á sua esquerda.
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 E, até quando o tolo vae pelo caminho, falta-lhe o seu entendimento e diz a todos que é tolo.
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 Levantando-se contra ti o espirito do governador, não deixes o teu logar, porque é um remedio que aquieta grandes peccados.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Ainda ha um mal que vi debaixo do sol, como o erro que procede de diante do governador.
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Ao tolo assentam em grandes alturas, mas os ricos estão assentados na baixeza.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Vi os servos a cavallo, e os principes que andavam a pé como servos sobre a terra.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Quem cavar uma cova, cairá n'ella, e, quem romper um muro, uma cobra o morderá.
[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 Quem acarretar pedras, será maltratado por ellas, e o que rachar lenha perigará com ella.
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 Se estiver embotado o ferro, e não se amollar o córte, então se devem pôr mais forças: mas a sabedoria é excellente para dirigir.
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 Se a cobra morder, não estando encantada, então remedio nenhum se espera do encantador, por mais habil que seja.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Nas palavras da bocca do sabio ha favor, porém os labios do tolo o devoram.
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 O principio das palavras da sua bocca é a estulticia, e o fim da sua bocca um desvario pessimo.
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 Bem que o tolo multiplique as palavras, não sabe o homem o que ha de ser; e quem lhe fará saber o que será depois d'elle?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 O trabalho dos tolos a cada um d'elles fatiga, porque não sabem ir á cidade.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Ai de ti, ó terra, cujo rei é criança, e cujos principes comem de manhã.
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 Bemaventurada tu, ó terra, cujo rei é filho dos nobres, e cujos principes comem a tempo, para refazerem as forças, e não para bebedice.
[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 Pela muita preguiça se enfraquece o tecto, e pela frouxidão das mãos goteja a casa.
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 Para rir se fazem convites, e o vinho alegra a vida, e por tudo o dinheiro responde.
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 Nem ainda no teu pensamento amaldiçoes ao rei, nem tão pouco no mais interior da tua recamara amaldiçoes ao rico: porque as aves dos céus levariam a voz, e os que teem azas dariam noticia da palavra.
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].
