Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 10

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 One dead fly can spoil the scent-maker's oil: a grain of stupidity outweighs wisdom and glory.	1 Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.
2 The sage's heart leads him aright, the fool's leads him astray.	2 The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a foolish man is in his left hand.
3 A fool walks down the road, he has no wit -- and everyone remarks, 'How silly he is!'	3 Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post; composure mitigates grave offences.	4 If the spirit of one who holds authority rises over you, do not leave your place, because attentiveness will cause the greatest sins to cease.
5 One evil I observe under the sun: the sort of misjudgement to which rulers are prone-	5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:
6 fol y promoted to the top and the rich taking the lowest place.	6 a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.
7 I see slaves riding on horses and princes on foot like slaves.	7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.
8 He who digs a pit fal s into it, he who undermines a wal gets bitten by a snake,	8 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.
9 he who quarries stones gets hurt by them, he who chops wood takes a risk from it.	9 Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.
10 If, for want of sharpening, the blade is blunt, you have to work twice as hard; but it is the outcome that makes wisdom rewarding.	10 If the iron is dull, and if it was not that way before, but has been made dull by much labor, then it will be sharpened. And wisdom will follow after diligence.
11 If, for want of charming, the snake bites, the snake-charmer gets nothing out of it.	11 Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.
12 The sayings of a sage give pleasure, what a fool says procures his own ruin:	12 Words from the mouth of a wise man are graceful, but the lips of a foolish man will throw him down with violence.
13 his words have their origin in stupidity and their ending in treacherous fol y.	13 At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.
14 A fool talks a great deal, but none of us in fact can tel the future; what wil happen after us, who cantel ?	14 The fool multiplies his words. A man does not know what has been before him, and who is able to reveal to him what will be in the future after him?
15 A fool finds hard work very tiring, he cannot even find his own way into town.	15 The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.
16 Woe to you, country with a lad for king, and where princes start feasting in the morning!	16 Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume in the morning.
17 Happy the land whose king is nobly born, where princes eat at a respectable hour to keepthemselves strong and not merely to revel!	17 Blessed is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.
18 Thanks to idleness, the roof-tree gives way, thanks to carelessness, the house lets in the rain.	18 By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.
19 We give parties to enjoy ourselves, wine makes us cheerful and money has an answer for everything.	19 While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money.
20 Do not abuse the king, even in thought, do not abuse a rich man, even in your bedroom, for a bird ofthe air might carry the news, a winged messenger might repeat what you have said.	20 You should not slander the king, even in your thoughts, and you should not speak evil of a wealthy man, even in your private chamber. For even the birds of the air will carry your voice, and whatever has wings will announce your opinion.