Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to stink [and] ferment; [so] a little folly is weightier than wisdom [and] honour.
Uginula muha usmrdi mirisno ulje, a i malo ludosti jače je od mudrosti i časti.
2 The heart of a wise [man] is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Mudrac kroči pravim putem, a luđak krivim.
3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his sense faileth [him], and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
Dovoljno je da luđak pođe putem: kako razbora nema, svakomu pokazuje da je lud.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for quietness pacifieth great offences.
Ako se na te digne vladaočev gnjev, ne ostavljaj svoga mjesta, jer blagost sprečava velike grijehe.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as an error [that] proceedeth from the ruler:
Ima zlo što ga vidjeh pod suncem kao prestupak koji dolazi od vladaoca:
6 folly is set in great dignities, but the rich sit in a low place.
ludost se podiže na najviša mjesta, a veliki zauzimaju niske položaje.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Vidjeh sluge na konjima, a knezove gdje idu pješice kao sluge.
8 He that diggeth a pit falleth into it; and whoso breaketh down a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
Tko jamu kopa, u nju pada; i tko ruši zid, ujeda ga zmija.
9 Whoso removeth stones is hurt therewith; he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Tko lomi kamenje, ono ga ranjava; tko cijepa drva, može nastradati.
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he apply more strength; but wisdom is profitable to give success.
Kad zatupi željezo i oštrica mu nije nabrušena, tada treba više snage; a nagrada mudrosti je uspjeh.
11 If the serpent bite before enchantment, then the charmer hath no advantage.
Ako zmija ujede prije čaranja, ništa onda opčaratelj ne koristi.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool swallow up himself.
Pune su miline riječi iz usta mudraca, a bezumnika upropašćuju njegove usne.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
On počinje svoje besjede ludošću i svršava ih potpunim bezumljem.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and what shall be after him, who will tell him?
Luđak previše govori: čovjek ne poznaje budućnost, i tko mu može kazati što će poslije njega biti?
15 The labour of fools wearieth them, because they know not how to go to the city.
Luđake mori njihov trud; tko ne zna puta, ne može u grad.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Jao tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj premlad i knezovi se već ujutro goste.
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, and thy princes eat in [due] season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Blago tebi, zemljo, kad ti je kralj plemenit i knezovi ti u svoje vrijeme blaguju da se okrijepe, a ne da se opiju.
18 By much sloth fulness the framework falleth in; and through idleness of the hands the house drippeth.
S lijenosti se ugiblju grede, zbog nebrige prokišnjava kuća.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh life merry; but money answereth everything.
Ali su gozbe radi zabave i vino uveseljava život, a novci pribavljaju sve.
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for the bird of the air will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
Ni u svojoj misli ne kuni kralja, ni u svojoj ložnici ne kuni bogataša, jer će ptice odnijeti glas i kleveta lako okrilati.
