Ecclesiastes 10
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
Clementine Vulgate, 1598
1Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
1[Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.
2A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
2Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
3Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
3Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.
4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences.
4Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.]
5There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
5[Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis:
6Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
6positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.
7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
7Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
8Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.
9Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
9Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.
10If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
10Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.
11If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
11Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.
12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
12Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum;
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
13initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.
14A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
14Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?
15The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
15Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.]
16Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
16[Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.
17Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
17Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.
18By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
18In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.
19A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
19In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.
20Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
20In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas, et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti: quia et aves cæli portabunt vocem tuam, et qui habet pennas annuntiabit sententiam.]
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