Ecclesiastes 10
1 Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.
死蒼蠅使做香的膏油發出臭氣； 這樣，一點愚昧也能敗壞智慧和尊榮。
2 The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.
智慧人的心居右； 愚昧人的心居左。
3 But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.
並且愚昧人行路顯出無知， 對眾人說，他是愚昧人。
4 If the spirit of hym, that hath power, stieth on thee, forsake thou not thi place; for heeling schal make gretteste synnes to ceesse.
掌權者的心若向你發怒， 不要離開你的本位， 因為柔和能免大過。
5 An yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne, and goith out as bi errour fro the face of the prince; a fool set in hiy dignyte,
我見日光之下有一件禍患， 似乎出於掌權的錯誤，
6 and riche men sitte bynethe.
就是愚昧人立在高位； 富足人坐在低位。
7 I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.
我見過僕人騎馬， 王子像僕人在地上步行。
8 He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.
挖陷坑的，自己必掉在其中； 拆牆垣的，必為蛇所咬。
9 He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
鑿開石頭的，必受損傷； 劈開木頭的，必遭危險。
10 If yrun is foldid ayen, and this is not as bifore, but is maad blunt, it schal be maad scharp with myche trauel; and wisdom schal sue aftir bisynesse.
鐵器鈍了，若不將刃磨快，就必多費氣力； 但得智慧指教，便有益處。
11 If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
未行法術以先，蛇若咬人， 後行法術也是無益。
12 The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.
智慧人的口說出恩言； 愚昧人的嘴吞滅自己。
13 The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.
他口中的言語起頭是愚昧； 他話的末尾是奸惡的狂妄。
14 A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?
愚昧人多有言語， 人卻不知將來有甚麼事； 他身後的事誰能告訴他呢？
15 The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.
凡愚昧人，他的勞碌使自己困乏， 因為連進城的路，他也不知道。
16 Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
邦國啊，你的王若是孩童， 你的群臣早晨宴樂， 你就有禍了！
17 Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.
邦國啊，你的王若是貴冑之子， 你的群臣按時吃喝， 為要補力，不為酒醉， 你就有福了！
18 The hiynesse of housis schal be maad low in slouthis; and the hous schal droppe in the feblenesse of hondis.
因人懶惰，房頂塌下； 因人手懶，房屋滴漏。
19 In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.
設擺筵席是為喜笑。 酒能使人快活； 錢能叫萬事應心。
20 In thi thouyt bacbite thou not the kyng, and in the priuete of thi bed, curse thou not a riche man; for the briddis of heuene schulen bere thi vois, and he that hath pennys, schal telle the sentence.
你不可咒詛君王， 也不可心懷此念； 在你臥房也不可咒詛富戶。 因為空中的鳥必傳揚這聲音， 有翅膀的也必述說這事。
