Liber Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes, chapter 10, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 10 Vulgate

   1 Muscae morientes perdunt et corrumpunt oleum unguentarii. Gravior quam sapientia et gloria est parva stultitia.
   2 Cor sapientis in dextera eius, et cor stulti in sinistra illius.
   3 Sed et in via stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat.
   4 Si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit contra te, locum tuum ne dimiseris, quia lenitas faciet cessare peccata maxima.
   5 Est malum, quod vidi sub sole quasi errorem egredientem a facie principis:
   6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum.
   7 Vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes super terram quasi servos.
   8 Qui fodit foveam, incidet in eam; et, qui dissipat murum, mordebit eum coluber.
   9 Qui excidit lapides, affligetur in eis; et, qui scindit ligna, periclitabitur ex eis.
   10 Si retusum fuerit ferrum, et aciem eius non exacueris, labor multiplicabitur, sed lucrum industriae erit sapientia.
   11 Si mordeat serpens incantatione neglecta, nihil lucri habet incantator.
   12 Verba oris sapientis gratia, et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum.
   13 Initium verborum eius stultitia, et novissimum oris illius insipientia mala.
   14 Stultus verba multiplicat: "Ignorat homo quid futurum sit; et, quid post se futurum sit, quis ei poterit indicare?".
   15 Labor stultorum affliget eos, qui nesciunt in urbem pergere.
   16 Vae tibi, terra, cuius rex puer est, et cuius principes mane comedunt.
   17 Beata terra, cuius rex nobilis est, et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam.
   18 In pigris manibus humiliabitur contignatio, et in remissis perstillabit domus.
   19 In risum faciunt epulas; vinum laetificat vitam, et pecunia praestat omnia.
   20 In cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti, quia et aves caeli portabunt vocem tuam, et, qui habet pennas, annuntiabit sententiam.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 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.
   2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
   3 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.
   4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
   5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
   6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
   7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
   8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
   9 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.