Ecclesiastes 10

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.

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

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

قَلْبُ الْحَكِيمِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَقَلْبُ الْجَاهِلِ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

الْجَهَالَةُ جُعِلَتْ فِي مَعَالِيَ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَالأَغْنِيَاءُ يَجْلِسُونَ فِي السَّافِلِ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

إِنْ لَدَغَتِ الْحَيَّةُ بِلاَ رُقْيَةٍ، فَلاَ مَنْفَعَةَ لِلرَّاقِي.

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

كَلِمَاتُ فَمِ الْحَكِيمِ نِعْمَةٌ، وَشَفَتَا الْجَاهِلِ تَبْتَلِعَانِهِ.

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

اِبْتِدَاءُ كَلاَمِ فَمِهِ جَهَالَةٌ، وَآخِرُ فَمِهِ جُنُونٌ رَدِيءٌ.

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

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

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

تَعَبُ الْجُهَلاَءِ يُعْيِيهِمْ، لأَنَّهُ لاَ يَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ يَذْهَبُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ

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

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

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!

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

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

بِالْكَسَلِ الْكَثِيرِ يَهْبِطُ السَّقْفُ، وَبِتَدَلِّي الْيَدَيْنِ يَكِفُ الْبَيْتُ.

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

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

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.

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