Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
4 If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
6 The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
8 He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
9 He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
10 If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
11 If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;
13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
16 Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
17 Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
19 A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
20 Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.
