Ecclesiastes 10
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth an offensive odor: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for 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 [is] at his left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
Also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom 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 spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth 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 an error [which] proceedeth from the ruler:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in 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 upon the earth.
8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam: et qui dissipat sepem, mordebit eum coluber.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides, affligetur in eis: et qui scindit ligna, vulnerabitur ab eis.
Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; [and] he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered by it.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
If the iron is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom [is] profitable to direct.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
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 up himself.
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 is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
The labor of the foolish wearieth every one of them, 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 eat 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 son of nobles, 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 through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 In risum faciunt panem, et vinum ut epulentur viventes: et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh 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 will carry the voice, and that which hath wings will tell the matter.
