Pridigar 10
1 Mrtve muhe lekarnarjevemu mazilu povzročijo, da od sebe širi smrdljiv vonj; tako je majhna neumnost tistemu, ki ima sloves zaradi modrosti in časti.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 Srce modrega človeka je pri njegovi desnici, toda bedakovo srce pri njegovi levici.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Da, tudi kadar kdor je bedak, hodi po poti, ga njegova modrost izneverja in vsakemu govori, da je bedak.
Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 Če vladarjev duh vstane zoper tebe, ne zapusti svojega mesta, kajti ustrežljivost pomirja velike prestopke.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
5 Je zlo, ki sem ga videl pod soncem, kakor pomota, ki izvira od vladarja:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
6 neumnost je postavljena na visoko dostojanstvo, bogati pa sedijo na nizkem kraju.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 Videl sem služabnike na konjih, prince pa hoditi kakor služabniki po tleh.
I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
8 Kdor koplje jamo, bo padel vanjo, kdorkoli pa lomi ograjo, ga bo pičila kača.
He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Kdorkoli odstranja kamne, bo z njimi poškodovan in kdor cepi drva, bo s tem izpostavljen nevarnosti.
He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
10 Če je železo topo in ne nabrusi ostrine, potem mora vložiti več moči; toda modrost je koristna, da usmerja.
If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
11 Zagotovo bo kača pičila brez izrekanja uroka in blebetavec ni boljši.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
12 Besede iz ust modrega moža so milostljive, toda ustnice bedaka bodo samega sebe pogoltnile.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
13 Začetek besed iz njegovih ust je nespametnost, konec njegovega govora pa je pogubna norost.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 Tudi bedak je poln besed. Človek ne more povedati kaj bo, in kaj bo za njim, kdo mu lahko pove?
A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Trud nespametnih izčrpava vsakogar izmed njih, ker ne ve kako iti do mesta.
The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
16 Gorje tebi, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj otrok in tvoji princi jedo zjutraj!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
17 Blagoslovljena si ti, oh dežela, kadar je tvoj kralj sin plemičev in tvoji princi jedo v pravšnjem obdobju, za moč in ne za pijanost!
Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Z veliko lenobe zgradba propada in zaradi brezdelja rok kaplja skozi hišo.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 Praznovanje je narejeno za smeh in vino dela vesele, toda denar odgovarja vsem stvarem.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
20 Ne preklinjaj kralja niti v svojih mislih in ne preklinjaj bogatega v svoji spalnici, kajti zračna ptica bo odnesla glas in kar ima peruti, bo povedalo zadevo.
Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
