Ecclesiastes 10

1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

1 اَلذُّبَابُ ٱلْمَيِّتُ يُنَتِّنُ وَيُخَمِّرُ طِيبَ ٱلْعَطَّارِ. جَهَالَةٌ قَلِيلَةٌ أَثْقَلُ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْكَرَامَةِ.

2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.

2 قَلْبُ ٱلْحَكِيمِ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، وَقَلْبُ ٱلْجَاهِلِ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ.

3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

3 أَيْضًا إِذَا مَشَى ٱلْجَاهِلُ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ يَنْقُصُ فَهْمُهُ، وَيَقُولُ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ: إِنَّهُ جَاهِلٌ.

4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.

4 إِنْ صَعِدَتْ عَلَيْكَ رُوحُ ٱلْمُتَسَلِّطِ، فَلَا تَتْرُكْ مَكَانَكَ، لِأَنَّ ٱلْهُدُوءَ يُسَكِّنُ خَطَايَا عَظِيمَةً.

5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun—an error that proceeds from the ruler:

5 يُوجَدُ شَرٌّ رَأَيْتُهُ تَحْتَ ٱلشَّمْسِ، كَسَهْوٍ صَادِرٍ مِنْ قِبَلِ ٱلْمُتَسَلِّطِ:

6 Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.

6 ٱلْجَهَالَةُ جُعِلَتْ فِي مَعَالِيَ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَٱلْأَغْنِيَاءُ يَجْلِسُونَ فِي ٱلسَّافِلِ.

7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.

7 قَدْ رَأَيْتُ عَبِيدًا عَلَى ٱلْخَيْلِ، وَرُؤَسَاءَ مَاشِينَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَٱلْعَبِيدِ.

8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.

8 مَنْ يَحْفُرْ هُوَّةً يَقَعْ فِيهَا، وَمَنْ يَنْقُضْ جِدَارًا تَلْدَغْهُ حَيَّةٌ.

9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.

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

10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.

10 إِنْ كَلَّ ٱلْحَدِيدُ وَلَمْ يُسَنِّنْ هُوَ حَدَّهُ، فَلْيَزِدِ ٱلْقُوَّةَ. أَمَّا ٱلْحِكْمَةُ فَنَافِعَةٌ لِلْإِنْجَاحِ.

11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.

11 إِنْ لَدَغَتِ ٱلْحَيَّةُ بِلَا رُقْيَةٍ، فَلَا مَنْفَعَةَ لِلرَّاقِي.

12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.

12 كَلِمَاتُ فَمِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ نِعْمَةٌ، وَشَفَتَا ٱلْجَاهِلِ تَبْتَلِعَانِهِ.

13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.

13 اِبْتِدَاءُ كَلَامِ فَمِهِ جَهَالَةٌ، وَآخِرُ فَمِهِ جُنُونٌ رَدِيءٌ.

14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?

14 وَٱلْجَاهِلُ يُكَثِّرُ ٱلْكَلَامَ. لَا يَعْلَمُ إِنْسَانٌ مَا يَكُونُ. وَمَاذَا يَصِيرُ بَعْدَهُ مَنْ يُخْبِرُهُ؟

15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.

15 تَعَبُ ٱلْجُهَلَاءِ يُعْيِيهِمْ، لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ يَذْهَبُ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ

16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.

16 وَيْلٌ لَكِ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْأَرْضُ إِذَا كَانَ مَلِكُكِ وَلَدًا، وَرُؤَسَاؤُكِ يَأْكُلُونَ فِي ٱلصَّبَاحِ.

17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness.

17 طُوبَى لَكِ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْأَرْضُ إِذَا كَانَ مَلِكُكِ ٱبْنَ شُرَفَاءَ، وَرُؤَسَاؤُكِ يَأْكُلُونَ فِي ٱلْوَقْتِ لِلْقُوَّةِ لَا لِلسُّكْرِ.

18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.

18 بِٱلْكَسَلِ ٱلْكَثِيرِ يَهْبِطُ ٱلسَّقْفُ، وَبِتَدَلِّي ٱلْيَدَيْنِ يَكِفُ ٱلْبَيْتُ.

19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.

19 لِلْضَّحِكِ يَعْمَلُونَ وَلِيمَةً، وَٱلْخَمْرُ تُفَرِّحُ ٱلْعَيْشَ. أَمَّا ٱلْفِضَّةُ فَتُحَصِّلُ ٱلْكُلَّ.

20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.

20 لَا تَسُبَّ ٱلْمَلِكَ وَلَا فِي فِكْرِكَ، وَلَا تَسُبَّ ٱلْغَنِيَّ فِي مَضْجَعِكَ، لِأَنَّ طَيْرَ ٱلسَّمَاءِ يَنْقُلُ ٱلصَّوْتَ، وَذُو ٱلْجَنَاحِ يُخْبِرُ بِٱلْأَمْرِ.