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.
死し蝿は和香者の膏を臭くしこれを腐らす 少許の愚癡は智能と尊榮よりも重し
2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
愚者は出て途を行にあたりてその心たらず自己の愚なることを一切の人に告ぐ
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.
君長たる者汝にむかひて腹たつとも汝の本處を離るる勿れ温順は大なる愆を生ぜしめざるなり
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
我日の下に一の患事あるを見たり是は君長たる者よりいづる過誤に似たり
6 The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
すなはち愚なる者高き位に置かれ貴き者卑き處に坐る
7 I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
我また僕たる者が馬に乗り王侯たる者が僕のごとく地の上に歩むを観たり
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.
坑を据る者はみづから之におちいり石垣を毀つ者は蛇に咬れん
9 He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
石を打くだく者はそれがために傷を受け木を割る者はそれがために危難に遭ん
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.
鐵の鈍くなれるあらんにその刃を磨ざれば力を多く之にもちひざるを得ず 智慧は功を成に益あるなり
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.
蛇もし呪術を聴ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
智者の口の言語は恩徳あり 愚者の唇はその身を呑ほろぼす
13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
愚者の口の言は始は愚なり またその言は終は狂妄にして惡し
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?
愚者は言詞を衆くす 人は後に有ん事を知ず 誰かその身の後にあらんところの事を述るを得ん
15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
愚者の労苦はその身を疲らす彼は邑にいることをも知ざるなり
16 Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなず國よ 汝は禍なるかな
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.
その王は貴族の子またその侯伯は酔樂むためならず力を補ふために適宜き時に食をなす國よ 汝は福なるかな
18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
懶惰ところよりして屋背は落ち 手を垂をるところよりして家屋は漏る
19 A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし洒をもて決樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
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.
汝心の中にても王たる者を詛ふなかれ また寝室にても富者を詛なかれ 天空の鳥その聲を傳へ羽翼ある者その事を布べければなり
