Ecclesiastes 10

اَلذُّبَابُ الْمَيِّتُ يُنَتِّنُ وَيُخَمِّرُ طِيبَ الْعَطَّارِ. جَهَالَةٌ قَلِيلَةٌ أَثْقَلُ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَمِنَ الْكَرَامَةِ.

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.

قَلْبُ الْحَكِيمِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَقَلْبُ الْجَاهِلِ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ.

A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.

أَيْضًا إِذَا مَشَى الْجَاهِلُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ يَنْقُصُ فَهْمُهُ، وَيَقُولُ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ: إِنَّهُ جَاهِلٌ.

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.

إِنْ صَعِدَتْ عَلَيْكَ رُوحُ الْمُتَسَلِّطِ، فَلاَ تَتْرُكْ مَكَانَكَ، لأَنَّ الْهُدُوءَ يُسَكِّنُ خَطَايَا عَظِيمَةً.

If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

يُوجَدُ شَرٌّ رَأَيْتُهُ تَحْتَ الشَّمْسِ، كَسَهْوٍ صَادِرٍ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْمُتَسَلِّطِ:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:

الْجَهَالَةُ جُعِلَتْ فِي مَعَالِيَ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَالأَغْنِيَاءُ يَجْلِسُونَ فِي السَّافِلِ.

Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.

قَدْ رَأَيْتُ عَبِيدًا عَلَى الْخَيْلِ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ مَاشِينَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ كَالْعَبِيدِ.

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

مَنْ يَحْفُرْ هُوَّةً يَقَعُ فِيهَا، وَمَنْ يَنْقُضْ جِدَارًا تَلْدَغْهُ حَيَّةٌ.

He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

مَنْ يَقْلَعْ حِجَارَةً يُوجَعْ بِهَا. مَنْ يُشَقِّقُ حَطَبًا يَكُونُ فِي خَطَرٍ مِنْهُ.

Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

إِنْ كَلَّ الْحَدِيدُ وَلَمْ يُسَنِّنْ هُوَ حَدَّهُ، فَلْيَزِدِ الْقُوَّةَ. أَمَّا الْحِكْمَةُ فَنَافِعَةٌ لِلإِنْجَاحِ.

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.

إِنْ لَدَغَتِ الْحَيَّةُ بِلاَ رُقْيَةٍ، فَلاَ مَنْفَعَةَ لِلرَّاقِي.

Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

كَلِمَاتُ فَمِ الْحَكِيمِ نِعْمَةٌ، وَشَفَتَا الْجَاهِلِ تَبْتَلِعَانِهِ.

The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

اِبْتِدَاءُ كَلاَمِ فَمِهِ جَهَالَةٌ، وَآخِرُ فَمِهِ جُنُونٌ رَدِيءٌ.

The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.

وَالْجَاهِلُ يُكَثِّرُ الْكَلاَمَ. لاَ يَعْلَمُ إِنْسَانٌ مَا يَكُونُ. وَ مَاذَا يَصِيرُ بَعْدَهُ مَنْ يُخْبِرُهُ؟

A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?

تَعَبُ الْجُهَلاَءِ يُعْيِيهِمْ، لأَنَّهُ لاَ يَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ يَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

وَيْلٌ لَكِ أَيَّتُهَا الأَرْضُ إِذَا كَانَ مَلِكُكِ وَلَدًا، وَرُؤَسَاؤُكِ يَأْكُلُونَ فِي الصَّبَاحِ.

Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

طُوبَى لَكِ أَيَّتُهَا الأَرْضُ إِذَا كَانَ مَلِكُكِ ابْنَ شُرَفَاءَ، وَرُؤَسَاؤُكِ يَأْكُلُونَ فِي الْوَقْتِ لِلْقُوَّةِ لاَ لِلسَُّكْرِ.

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!

بِالْكَسَلِ الْكَثِيرِ يَهْبِطُ السَّقْفُ، وَبِتَدَلِّي الْيَدَيْنِ يَكِفُ الْبَيْتُ.

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

لِلْضَّحِكِ يَعْمَلُونَ وَلِيمَةً، وَالْخَمْرُ تُفَرِّحُ الْعَيْشَ. أَمَّا الْفِضَّةُ فَتُحَصِّلُ الْكُلَّ.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

لاَ تَسُبَّ الْمَلِكَ وَلاَ فِي فِكْرِكَ، وَلاَ تَسُبَّ الْغَنِيَّ فِي مَضْجَعِكَ، لأَنَّ طَيْرَ السَّمَاءِ يَنْقُلُ الصَّوْتَ، وَذُو الْجَنَاحِ يُخْبِرُ بِالأَمْرِ.

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.