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智慧使人成功

10 幾隻死蒼蠅能使做香料者的膏油發霉變臭,一點點愚昧比智慧和榮譽的影響更大。 智慧人的心向右,愚昧人的心偏左。 愚昧人連走路的時候,也顯出無知;他對每一個人表現出他是個愚昧人(“他對每一個人表現出他是個愚昧人”或譯:“他稱每一個人都是愚昧的”)。 如果掌權者向你發怒,你不要離開原位,因為柔順能免大過。

在日光之下我看見一件憾事,好像是出於官長無意的錯誤, 就是愚昧人得居眾多高位,富有的人卻處卑位。 我見過奴僕騎馬,貴族卻像奴僕一樣在地上步行。

挖陷阱的,自己掉進去;拆牆垣的,有蛇來咬他。 採石的,被石打傷;劈柴的,被柴損害。 10 斧頭若鈍了,還不把斧刃磨快,就必多費力氣;智慧的好處在於助人成功。 11 未行法術先被蛇咬,那麼,法術對行法術的人就毫無用處。

12 智慧人的口,說出恩言;愚昧人的嘴,卻吞滅自己。 13 愚昧人的話開頭是愚昧,結尾是邪惡狂妄。 14 愚昧人多言多語。人不知道將來會有甚麼事,誰能告訴他死後會發生甚麼事呢? 15 愚昧人的勞碌徒使自己困乏,他連怎樣進城也不知道。

16 邦國啊,如果你的王是個孩童,而你的大臣又一早吃喝宴樂,你就有禍了。 17 邦國啊,如果你的王是貴冑之子,而你的大臣又按時吃喝,為要得力,不為醉酒,你就有福了。 18 房頂塌下是因為懶惰,房屋滴漏是因為懶得動手。 19 設宴是為歡笑,酒能使人生快活,金錢能解決萬事。 20 不要在意念中咒罵君王,也不要在臥房中咒罵財主,因為空中的飛鳥會傳聲,有翅膀的會述說這事。

10 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

Yea 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.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

14 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 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

17 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 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

20 Curse 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.

Chapter 10

Just as dead flies give perfumes a foul smell,
    so a little folly can outweigh wisdom and honor.
The heart of a wise man inclines to the right;
    the heart of a fool inclines to the left.
Even when a fool walks down the road,
    he lacks sense
    and indicates to everyone how stupid he is.
If the anger of a ruler rises against you,
    do not leave your post,
    for calmness will mitigate grave offenses.
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun,
    a great error to which rulers are prone:
Fools are ensconced in a lofty position,
    while the rich sit in a lowly place.
I have seen slaves on horseback
    while princes walked on foot like slaves.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
    and whoever breaks through a wall
    will be bitten by a snake.
Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them,
    and whoever chops wood places himself at risk.
10 If an ax becomes dull from lack of sharpening,
    then one must exert greater strength,
    but skill helps one to succeed.
11 If a snake bites because it has not been charmed,
    there is no profit for the charmer.
12 The words of a wise man win favor,
    but a fool’s tongue is his undoing.
13 The words a fool utters are grounded in stupidity,
    and they end in total madness.
14 A fool talks at great length,
    but no one knows what direction his words will take,
    and who can foretell what the future holds?
15 A fool quickly gets worn out by his labor,
    and he cannot even find his own way into town.[a]
16 Woe to you, O country, when your king is a servant
    and your princes start feasting in the morning.
17 Blessed are you, O land,
    when your king is a nobleman
and your princes feast at the proper time
    for strength and not for drunkenness.
18 Because of your negligence the roof begins to collapse,
    and when hands remain idle, the house leaks.
19 Feasts are designed for merriment,
    wine makes us cheerful,
    and money solves every need.[b]
20 Even in your thoughts,
    do not curse the king,
    nor revile the rich even in your bedroom;
for a bird of the air may carry your voice,
    or a winged creature may repeat what you have said.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:15 And he cannot even find his own way into town: probably a proverbial expression for extreme stupidity.
  2. Ecclesiastes 10:19 Money solves every need: this may be taken in various ways: (1) as a simple statement about the very versatile character of money, (2) as good advice to earn a living rather than seeking a great time, or (3) as an ironic comment about human values (see Lk 16:9).

10 As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,
    so a little folly(A) outweighs wisdom and honor.
The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
    but the heart of the fool to the left.
Even as fools walk along the road,
    they lack sense
    and show everyone(B) how stupid they are.
If a ruler’s anger rises against you,
    do not leave your post;(C)
    calmness can lay great offenses to rest.(D)

There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
    the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
Fools are put in many high positions,(E)
    while the rich occupy the low ones.
I have seen slaves on horseback,
    while princes go on foot like slaves.(F)

Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;(G)
    whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.(H)
Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
    whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.(I)

10 If the ax is dull
    and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
    but skill will bring success.

11 If a snake bites before it is charmed,
    the charmer receives no fee.(J)

12 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,(K)
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.(L)
13 At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
14     and fools multiply words.(M)

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?(N)

15 The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

16 Woe to the land whose king was a servant[a](O)
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
17 Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.(P)

18 Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.(Q)

19 A feast is made for laughter,
    wine(R) makes life merry,
    and money is the answer for everything.

20 Do not revile the king(S) even in your thoughts,
    or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird in the sky may carry your words,
    and a bird on the wing may report what you say.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:16 Or king is a child