Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking savour: [so] doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
死し蝿は和香者の膏を臭くしこれを腐らす 少許の愚癡は智慧と尊榮よりも重し
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.
智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
3 Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool.
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 spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding allayeth great offences.
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, as it were an error which proceedeth from the 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 folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
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 upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
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觀たり
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
坑を掘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 Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
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 be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
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 the serpent bite before it be charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
蛇もし呪術を聽ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
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 beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
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 A fool also multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell 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 labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
愚者の勞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 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
その王は童子にしてその侯伯は朝に食をなす國よ 汝は禍なるかな
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
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 By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
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 made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life: and money answereth all things.
食事をもて笑ひ喜ぶの物となし酒をもて快樂を取れり 銀子は何事にも應ずるなり
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
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
