Ecclesiastes 10
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
Dead flies cause to stinke, and putrifie the ointment of the apoticarie: so doeth a litle follie him that is in estimation for wisedome, and for glorie.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
The heart of a wise man is at his right hand: but the heart of a foole is at his left hand.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
And also when the foole goeth by the way, his heart faileth, and he telleth vnto all that he is a foole.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris: quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.
If the spirite of him that ruleth, rise vp against thee, leaue not thy place: for gentlenes pacifieth great sinnes.
5 Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
There is an euil that I haue seene vnder the sunne, as an errour that proceedeth from the face of him that ruleth.
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Follie is set in great excellencie, and the riche set in the lowe place.
7 Vidi servos in equis: et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
I haue seene seruants on horses, and princes walking as seruants on the ground.
8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber.
He that diggeth a pit, shall fal into it, and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis.
He that remooueth stones, shall hurt himselfe thereby, and hee that cutteth wood, shall be in danger thereby.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit multo labore, exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
If the yron be blunt, and one hath not whet the edge, he must then put to more strength: but the excellencie to direct a thing is wisedome.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
If the serpent bite, when he is not charmed: no better is a babbler.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia: et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum:
The words of ye mouth of a wise man haue grace: but the lippes of a foole deuoure himselfe.
13 Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
The beginning of the wordes of his mouth is foolishnesse, and the latter ende of his mouth is wicked madnesse.
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit: et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
For the foole multiplieth woordes, saying, Man knoweth not what shall be: and who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
The labour of the foolish doeth wearie him: for he knoweth not to goe into the citie.
16 Væ tibi terra, cuius rex puer est, et cuius principes mane comedunt.
Woe to thee, O lande, when thy King is a childe, and thy princes eate in the morning.
17 Beata terra, cuius rex nobilis est, et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the sonne of nobles, and thy princes eate in time, for strength and not for drunkennesse.
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
By slouthfulnes the roofe of the house goeth to decaie, and by the ydlenesse of the handes the house droppeth through.
19 In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
They prepare bread for laughter, and wine comforteth the liuing, but siluer answereth to all.
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.
Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foule of the heauen shall carie the voice, and that which hath wings, shall declare the matter.
