Eclesiastés 10
1 Las moscas muertas hacen que el aceite del perfumista produzca un mal olor; así que un poco de locura supera la sabiduría y el 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 El corazón del hombre sabio está a su derecha, sino el corazón de un necio a su 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 También cuando el necio va por el camino, le falla el entendimiento y dice a todos que es un necio.
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 el espíritu del gobernante se levanta contra ti, no dejes tu lugar; porque la mansedumbre hace descansar las grandes ofensas.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Hay un mal que he visto bajo el sol, la clase de error que procede del gobernante.
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 La insensatez está puesta en gran dignidad, y los ricos se sientan en un lugar bajo.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 He visto siervos sobre caballos, y príncipes que caminan como siervos sobre la tierra.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 El que cava una fosa puede caer en ella; y el que rompe un muro puede ser mordido por 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 El que talla piedras puede ser herido por ellas. El que parte la madera puede peligrar con 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 Si el hacha está desafilada y uno no afila el filo, debe usar más fuerza; pero la habilidad trae el éxito.
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 antes de ser encantada, entonces no hay beneficio para la lengua del encantador.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Las palabras de la boca del sabio son graciosas; pero al necio se lo tragan sus propios labios.
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 El principio de las palabras de su boca es necedad; y el fin de su charla, locura maligna.
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 El necio también multiplica las palabras. El hombre no sabe lo que va a ser; y lo que va a ser después de él, ¿quién se lo puede decir?
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 de los necios cansa a cada uno de ellos, pues no sabe cómo ir a la ciudad.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Ay de ti, tierra, cuando tu rey es un niño, ¡y tus príncipes comen por 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 Feliz eres, tierra, cuando tu rey es hijo de nobles, y tus príncipes comen a su debido tiempo, ¡para la fuerza, y no para la embriaguez!
[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 Por pereza se hunde el techo; y por la ociosidad de las manos la casa gotea.
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 Se hace una fiesta para reír, y el vino alegra la vida; y el dinero es la respuesta para todas las cosas.
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 maldigas al rey, no, no en tus pensamientos; y no maldigas a los ricos en tu habitación, porque un pájaro del cielo puede llevar tu voz, y lo que tiene alas puede contar el asunto.
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].
