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10 死苍蝇使做香的膏油散发臭气;
同样,一点愚昧也能压倒智慧和尊荣。
智慧人的心居右;
愚昧人的心居左。
愚昧人的行径显出无知,
对众人说,他是愚昧人。
掌权者的怒气若向你发作,
不要离开你的本位,
因为镇定能平息大过。
我见日光之下有一件祸患,
似乎出于统治者的错误,
就是愚昧人立在高位;
有钱人却坐在低位。
我见仆人骑马,
王子像仆人在地上步行。
挖陷坑的,自己必陷在其中;
拆城墙的,自己必被蛇咬。
开凿石头的,会受损伤;
劈开木头的,必遭危险。
10 铁器钝了,若不将刃磨快,就必多费力气;
但智慧的益处在于使人成功。
11 尚未行法术,蛇若咬人,
行法术的人就得不到什么好处了。

12 智慧人的口说出恩言;
愚昧人的嘴吞灭自己,
13 他口中的话语起头是愚昧,
终局是邪恶的狂妄。
14 愚昧人多有话语。
人不知将来会发生什么事,
他身后的事谁能告诉他呢?
15 愚昧人的劳碌使自己困乏,
连进城的路他也不知道。

16 邦国啊,你的君王若年少,
你的群臣早晨宴乐,
你就有祸了!
17 邦国啊,你的君王若是贵族之子,
你的群臣按时吃喝,
是为强身,不为酒醉,
你就有福了!
18 因人懒惰,房顶塌下;
因人手懒,房屋滴漏。
19 摆设宴席是为欢乐。
酒能使人快活,
钱能叫万事应心。
20 不可诅咒君王,
连起意也不可,
在卧室里也不可诅咒富人;
因为空中的飞鸟必传扬这声音,
有翅膀的必述说这事。

Sabios y necios

10 Una mosca muerta pudre un perfume;
un poco de necedad cuenta más que sabiduría y honor.
El sabio tiene la mente en su sitio,
el necio la tiene trastocada.
El necio, falto de seso,
llama tonto a todo el que encuentra.
Si el jefe se enfurece contra ti,
no abandones tu puesto,
porque la mesura evita errores graves.
He observado otra desgracia bajo el sol,
un desacierto propio de la autoridad:
la necedad encumbrada en altos puestos,
mientras los que valen se sientan abajo.
He visto esclavos a caballo
y príncipes que iban a pie, como esclavos.
El que cava una fosa, cae en ella;
al que derriba un muro, le muerde una serpiente.
El que saca piedras, se lastima con ellas;
el que corta leña, puede hacerse daño.
10 Si se embota el hacha
y no se afilan sus caras,
hay que redoblar esfuerzos.
El éxito está en usar la sabiduría.
11 Si la serpiente muerde
porque no ha sido encantada,
no hay ganancia para el encantador.
12 Las palabras del sabio provocan la estima,
las del necio causan su ruina.
13 El comienzo de su discurso es necedad;
su conclusión, fatal desvarío.
14 El necio habla demasiado
y como nadie conoce el futuro,
nadie le anunciará lo que ha de suceder.
15 El trabajo hastía tanto al necio,
que ni siquiera sabe cómo ir a la ciudad.

Sabiduría cortesana

16 ¡Ay del país donde reina un muchacho,
y cuyos nobles banquetean de madrugada!
17 ¡Dichoso el país donde reina un noble
y cuyos príncipes comen a su hora,
para recobrar fuerzas y no para emborracharse!
18 Al perezoso se le hunde el techo,
al ocioso se le llena la casa de goteras.
19 Para divertirse se celebran banquetes,
el vino alegra la vida
y el dinero todo lo arregla.
20 Ni en tu fuero interno maldigas al rey,
ni en tu propia alcoba maldigas al rico;
porque un pájaro del cielo correrá la voz
y un ser alado contará el asunto.

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

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.

Wisdom and Folly

10 Dead[a] flies [b]putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor;
So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand,
But a fool’s heart at his left.
Even when a fool walks along the way,
He lacks wisdom,
(A)And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
If the spirit of the ruler rises against you,
(B)Do not leave your post;
For (C)conciliation[c] pacifies great offenses.

There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
As an error proceeding from the ruler:
(D)Folly is set in [d]great dignity,
While the rich sit in a lowly place.
I have seen servants (E)on horses,
While princes walk on the ground like servants.

(F)He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
He who quarries stones may be hurt by them,
And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull,
And one does not sharpen the edge,
Then he must use more strength;
But wisdom [e]brings success.

11 A serpent may bite (G)when it is not charmed;
The [f]babbler is no different.
12 (H)The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious,
But (I)the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 (J)A fool also multiplies words.
No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him (K)what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them,
For they do not even know how to go to the city!

16 (L)Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,
And your (M)princes feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness!
18 Because of laziness the [g]building decays,
And (N)through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter,
And (O)wine makes merry;
But money answers everything.

20 (P)Do not curse the king, even in your thought;
Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom;
For a bird of the air may carry your voice,
And a bird in flight may tell the matter.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 10:1 Lit. Flies of death
  2. Ecclesiastes 10:1 Tg., Vg. omit putrefy
  3. Ecclesiastes 10:4 Lit. healing, health
  4. Ecclesiastes 10:6 exalted positions
  5. Ecclesiastes 10:10 Lit. is a successful advantage
  6. Ecclesiastes 10:11 Lit. master of the tongue
  7. Ecclesiastes 10:18 Lit. rafters sink