Ecclesiastes 10
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer loathsome and corrupt; thus doth a little folly weigh down wisdom and honor.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
A wise man's mind is at his right hand; but a fool's mind is at his left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
Yea, even when the fool walketh in the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one 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 anger of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place! for gentleness pacifieth great offences.
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; an error which proceedeth from a ruler.
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Folly is set in many high stations, and the noble sit in a low place.
7 Vidi servos in equis: et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on foot.
8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh down a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis.
Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that cleaveth wood shall be 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 one do not whet the edge, then must he put forth more strength; but an advantage for giving success hath wisdom.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
If a serpent bite before he is charmed, then there is no advantage to 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 are his destruction.
13 Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, 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 multiplieth words, though no man knoweth what shall be; and who can tell him what shall be after him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
The labor of the foolish man wearieth him, because he knoweth 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 princes 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 thou, O land, when thy king is a noble, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and by the slackness of the hands the house leaketh.
19 In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answereth 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.
Curse not the king; no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber! for a bird of the air shall carry the voice; and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
