Ecclesiastes 10
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris: quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
5 Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 Vidi servos in equis: et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber.
He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis.
He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit multo labore, exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia: et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum:
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
13 Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit: et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
16 Væ tibi terra, cuius rex puer est, et cuius principes mane comedunt.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
17 Beata terra, cuius rex nobilis est, et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
20 In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annunciabit sententiam.
Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
