Eclesiastés 10
1 Las moscas muertas pueden hacer que el aceite perfumado huela mal. Del mismo modo, un poco de insensatez supera a la gran sabiduría y al honor.
[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 La mente del sabio elige el lado correcto, pero la mente del insensato va hacia la izquierda.
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 Sólo la forma en que los necios andan por el camino demuestra que no tienen sentido común, dejando en claro a todos su estupidez.
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 Si tu superior se enfada contigo, no te rindas y te vayas. Si mantienes la calma, incluso los errores graves pueden resolverse.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 También me di cuenta de que hay otro mal aquí en la tierra: los gobernantes cometen un gran error
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 cuando ponen a los tontos en altos cargos, mientras que los que están ampliamente cualificados son puestos en posiciones bajas.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 He visto a esclavos montando a caballo, mientras los príncipes caminan por el suelo como esclavos.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Si cavas un pozo, puedes caerte dentro. Si derribas un muro, te puede morder una serpiente.
[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 Si extraes piedra, puedes lesionarte. Si partes troncos, podrías herirte.
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 Si tu hacha está desafilada y no la afilas, tienes que usar mucha más fuerza. Conclusión: ser sabio trae buenos resultados.
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 Si la serpiente muerde al encantador de serpientes antes de ser encantada, ¡no hay beneficio para el encantador de serpientes!
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Las palabras sabias son beneficiosas, pero los necios se destruyen a sí mismos con lo que dicen.
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 Los insensatos comienzan diciendo tonterías y terminan diciendo tonterías perversas.
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 Los insensatos no paran de hablar, pero nadie sabe lo que va a pasar, así que ¿quién puede decir lo que depara el futuro?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 El trabajo hace que los insensatos se desgasten tanto que no pueden lograr nada.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Estás en problemas si el rey de tu país es joven, y si tus líderes están ocupados festejando desde la mañana.
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 Tienes suerte si tu rey viene de una familia noble, y si tus líderes festejan a la hora apropiada para darse energía, y no para emborracharse.
[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 La gente perezosa deja que sus techos se derrumben; la gente ociosa no repara sus casas con goteras.
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 Una buena comida trae placer; el vino hace la vida agradable; el dinero cubre todas las necesidades.
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 No hables mal del rey, ni siquiera en tus pensamientos. No hables mal de los dirigentes, incluso en la intimidad de tu habitación. Un pájaro puede oír lo que dices y salir volando para contarles.
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].
