Ecclesiastes 10

VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti. Pretiosior est sapientia et gloria, parva et ad tempus stultitia.	1 Dying flies ruin the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a brief and limited foolishness.
2 Cor sapientis in dextera ejus, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.	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 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos æstimat.	3 Moreover, as a foolish man is walking along the way, even though he himself is unwise, he considers everyone to be foolish.
4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne demiseris, quia curatio faciet cessare peccata maxima.	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 Est malum quod vidi sub sole, quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis :	5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, proceeding from the presence of a prince, as if by mistake:
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi, et divites sedere deorsum.	6 a foolish man appointed to a high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath him.
7 Vidi servos in equis, et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.	7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking on the ground like servants.
8 Qui fodit foveam incidet in eam, et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber.	8 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever tears apart a hedge, a snake will bite him.
9 Qui transfert lapides affligetur in eis, et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis.	9 Whoever carries away stones will be harmed by them. And whoever cuts down trees will be wounded by them.
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 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 Si mordeat serpens in silentio, nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit.	11 Whoever slanders in secret is nothing less than a snake that bites silently.
12 Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis præcipitabunt eum ;	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 initium verborum ejus stultitia, et novissimum oris illius error pessimus.	13 At the beginning of his words is foolishness, and at the end of his talk is a most grievous error.
14 Stultus verba multiplicat. Ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit ; et quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare ?	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 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.	15 The hardship of the foolish will afflict those who do not know to go into the city.
16 Væ tibi, terra, cujus rex puer est, et cujus principes mane comedunt.	16 Woe to you, the land whose king is a boy, and whose princes consume 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 is the land whose king is noble, and whose princes eat at the proper time, for refreshment and not for self-indulgence.
18 In pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio, et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus.	18 By laziness, a framework shall be brought down, and by the weakness of hands, a house shall collapse through.
19 In risum faciunt panem et vinum ut epulentur viventes ; et pecuniæ obediunt omnia.	19 While laughing, they make bread and wine, so that the living may feast. And all things are obedient to money.
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 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.