Propovednik 10
1 Od mrtvijeh muha usmrdi se i pokvari ulje apotekarsko, tako od malo ludosti cijena mudrosti i slavi.
Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
2 Srce je mudromu s desne strane, a ludomu je s lijeve strane.
The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
3 Bezumnik i kad ide putem, bez razuma je i kazuje svjema da je bezuman.
Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
4 Ako se podigne na te gnjev onoga koji vlada, ne ostavljaj mjesta svojega, jer blagost uklanja velike grijehe.
If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
5 Ima zlo koje vidjeh pod suncem, kao pogrješka koja dolazi od vladaoca:
Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
6 Ludost se posaðuje na najviše mjesto, i bogati sjede na niskom mjestu.
Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
7 Vidjeh sluge na konjma, a knezovi idu pješice kao sluge.
I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
8 Ko jamu kopa, u nju æe pasti, i ko razvaljuje ogradu, uješæe ga zmija.
He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
9 Ko odmièe kamenje, udariæe se o njih; ko cijepa drva, nije miran od njih.
He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
10 Kad se zatupi gvožðe i oštrice mu se ne naoštri, tada treba više snage; ali mudrost može bolje opraviti.
If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
11 Ako ujede zmija prije bajanja, ništa neæe pomoæi bajaè.
If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
12 Rijeèi iz usta mudroga ljupke su, a bezumnoga proždiru usne njegove.
The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
13 Poèetak je rijeèima usta njegovijeh ludost, a svršetak govoru njegovu zlo bezumlje.
The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
14 Jer ludi mnogo govori, a èovjek ne zna što æe biti; i ko æe mu kazati što æe poslije njega biti?
Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, and, that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Lude mori trud njihov, jer ne znaju ni u grad otiæi.
The toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
16 Teško tebi, zemljo, kad ti je car dijete i knezovi tvoji rano jedu!
Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
17 Blago tebi, zemljo, kad ti je car plemenit i knezovi tvoji jedu na vrijeme da se potkrijepe a ne da se opiju.
How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
18 S lijenosti ugiblje se krov i s nemarnijeh ruku prokapljuje kuæa.
By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
19 Radi veselja gotove se gozbe, i vino veseli žive, a novci vrše sve.
Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
20 Ni u misli svojoj ne psuj cara, ni u klijeti, u kojoj spavaš, ne psuj bogatoga, jer ptica nebeska odnijeæe glas i što krila ima dokazaæe rijeè.
Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
