伝道者の書 10
1 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
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 智者の心はその右に愚者の心はその左に行くなり
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 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
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 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
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 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
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 すなはち愚なる者高き位に置かれ貴き者卑き處に坐る
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 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
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 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
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 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
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 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
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 蛇もし呪術を聽ずして咬ば呪術師は用なし
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 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
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 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
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 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
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 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
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 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
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 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
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 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
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 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
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 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
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
