Ecclesiastes 10

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.	1 More weighty than wisdom or wealth is a little folly!
2 Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.	2 The wise man's understanding turns him to his right; the fool's understanding turns him to his left.
3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.	3 When the fool walks through the street, in his lack of understanding he calls everything foolish.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.	4 Should the anger of the ruler burst upon you, forsake not your place; for mildness abates great offenses.
5 Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis :	5 I have seen under the sun another evil, like a mistake that proceeds from the ruler:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.	6 a fool put in lofty position while the rich sit in lowly places.
7 Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.	7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes walked on the ground like slaves.
8 Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.	8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a serpent.
9 Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.	9 He who moves stones may be hurt by them, and he who chops wood is in danger from it.
10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et hoc non ut prius, sed hebetatum fuerit, multo labore exacuetur, et post industriam sequetur sapientia.	10 If the iron becomes dull, though at first he made easy progress, he must increase his efforts; but the craftsman has the advantage of his skill.
11 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.	11 If the serpent bites because it has not been charmed, then there is no advantage for the charmer.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum ;	12 Words from the wise man's mouth win favor, but the fool's lips consume him.
13 initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.	13 The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is utter madness;
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit ; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare ?	14 yet the fool multiplies words. Man knows not what is to come, for who can tell him what is to come after him?
15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.	15 When will the fool be weary of his labor, he who knows not the way to the city?
16 Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.	16 Woe to you, O land, whose king was a servant, and whose princes dine in the morning!
17 Beata terra cujus rex nobilis est, et cujus principes vescuntur in tempore suo, ad reficiendum, et non ad luxuriam.	17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of noble birth, and whose princes dine at the right time (for vigor and not in drinking bouts).
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.	18 When hands are lazy, the rafters sag; when hands are slack, the house leaks.
19 In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes ; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.	19 Bread and oil call forth merriment and wine makes the living glad, but money answers for everything.
20 In 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.	20 Even in your thoughts do not make light of the king, nor in the privacy of your bedroom revile the rich. Because the birds of the air may carry your voice, a winged creature may tell what you say.