傳道書 10
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
10 死蒼蠅會使芬芳的膏油發臭，
同樣，一點點愚昧足以毀掉智慧和尊榮。
2 智者的心引導他走正路，
愚人的心帶領他入歧途。[a]
3 愚人走路時也無知，
並向眾人顯出他的愚昧。
4 如果當權的人向你大發雷霆，
不要因此就離開崗位，
因為平心靜氣能避免大錯。
5 我發現日光之下有一件可悲的事，
似乎是掌權者所犯的錯誤：
6 愚人身居許多高位，
富人卻屈居在下。
7 我曾看見奴僕騎在馬上，
王子卻像奴僕一樣步行。
8 挖掘陷阱的，自己必掉在其中；
拆圍牆的，必被蛇咬；
9 開鑿石頭的，必被砸傷；
劈木頭的，必有危險。
10 斧頭鈍了若不磨利，
用起來必多費力氣，
但智慧能助人成功。
11 弄蛇人行法術之前，
若先被蛇咬，
行法術還有什麼用呢？
12 智者口出恩言，
愚人的話毀滅自己。
13 愚人開口是愚昧，
閉口是邪惡狂妄。
14 愚人高談闊論，
其實無人知道將來的事，
人死後，誰能告訴他世間的事呢？
15 愚人因勞碌而精疲力盡，
連進城的路也認不出來。
16 一國之君若年幼無知，
他的臣宰從早到晚只顧宴樂，
那國就有禍了！
17 一國之君若英明尊貴，
他的臣宰為了強身健體而節制飲食，
不酗酒宴樂，那國就有福了！
18 屋頂因人懶惰而坍塌，
房間因人遊手好閒而漏雨。
19 宴席帶來歡笑，
酒使人開懷，
錢使人萬事亨通。
20 不可咒詛君王，
連這樣的意念都不可有，
也不可在臥室裡咒詛富豪，
因為天空的飛鳥會通風報信，
有翅膀的會把事情四處傳開。
Footnotes
- 10·2 這一節希伯來文是「智者的心在右，愚人的心在左。」
Ecclesiastes 10
The Message
10 Dead flies in perfume make it stink,
And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.
2 Wise thinking leads to right living;
Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.
3 Fools on the road have no sense of direction.
The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”
4 If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic;
A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.
* * *
5-7 Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth,
An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge:
Immaturity is given a place of prominence,
While maturity is made to take a backseat.
I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style,
While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.
* * *
8 Caution: The trap you set might catch you.
Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.
9 Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous.
Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.
10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work;
Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.
11 If the snake bites before it’s been charmed,
What’s the point in then sending for the charmer?
* * *
12-13 The words of a wise person are gracious.
The talk of a fool self-destructs—
He starts out talking nonsense
And ends up spouting insanity and evil.
14 Fools talk way too much,
Chattering stuff they know nothing about.
15 A decent day’s work so fatigues fools
That they can’t find their way back to town.
* * *
16-17 Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup,
And whose princes party all night.
Lucky the land whose king is mature,
Where the princes behave themselves
And don’t drink themselves silly.
* * *
18 A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack;
A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.
19 Laughter and bread go together,
And wine gives sparkle to life—
But it’s money that makes the world go around.
20 Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath,
And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home.
Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around.
Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson