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Chapter 10
Wisdom and Folly
1
As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
𐤌𐤅𐤕 𐤆𐤁𐤅𐤁𐤉 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤏 𐤉𐤁𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤅𐤒𐤇 𐤔𐤌𐤍 𐤌𐤏𐤈 𐤎𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤒𐤓 𐤌𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤌𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃
מָ֔וֶת זְב֣וּבֵי יַבִּ֖יעַ יַבְאִ֥ישׁ רוֹקֵ֑חַ שֶׁ֣מֶן מְעָֽט׃ סִכְל֥וּת יָקָ֛ר מֵחָכְמָ֥ה מִכָּב֖וֹד mā·weṯ zə·ḇū·ḇê yab·bî·a‘ yaḇ·’îš rō·w·qê·aḥ še·men mə·‘āṭ siḵ·lūṯ yā·qār mê·ḥā·ḵə·māh mik·kā·ḇō·wḏ — WLC · 1
2
A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤋𐤁 𐤋𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤁 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤀𐤋𐤅
חָכָם֙ לֵ֤ב לִֽימִינ֔וֹ וְלֵ֥ב כְּסִ֖יל לִשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃ ḥā·ḵām lêḇ lî·mî·nōw wə·lêḇ kə·sîl liś·mō·lōw — WLC · 2
3
Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤊𐤔𐤄𐤎𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤋𐤊 𐤁𐤃𐤓𐤊 𐤋𐤁𐤅 𐤇𐤎𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤋𐤊𐤋 𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤎𐤊𐤋
וְגַם־ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל הֹלֵ֖ךְ בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ לִבּ֣וֹ חָסֵ֑ר וְאָמַ֥ר לַכֹּ֖ל הֽוּא׃ סָכָ֥ל wə·ḡam- kə·šɛ·has·så̄·ḵå̄l hō·lêḵ bad·de·reḵ lib·bōw ḥā·sêr wə·’ā·mar lak·kōl hū sā·ḵāl — WLC · 3
4
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness {lays} great offenses to rest.
𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤅𐤔𐤋 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤕𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤍𐤇 𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤌𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤌𐤓𐤐𐤀 𐤂𐤃𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤇
אִם־ הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ ר֤וּחַ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ אַל־ תַּנַּ֑ח מְקוֹמְךָ֖ כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א גְּדוֹלִֽים׃ חֲטָאִ֥ים יַנִּ֖יחַ ’im- ham·mō·wō·šêl rū·aḥ ta·‘ă·leh ‘ā·le·ḵā ’al- tan·naḥ mə·qō·wm·ḵā kî mar·pê gə·ḏō·w·lîm ḥă·ṭā·’îm yan·nî·aḥ — WLC · 4
5
There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
𐤉𐤔 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤔 𐤊𐤔𐤂𐤂𐤄 𐤔𐤉𐤑𐤀 𐤌𐤋𐤐𐤍𐤉 𐤄𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤈
יֵ֣שׁ רָעָ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּשְׁגָגָ֕ה שֶׁיֹּצָ֖א מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַשַּׁלִּֽיט׃ yêš rā·‘āh rā·’î·ṯî ta·ḥaṯ haš·šā·meš kiš·ḡā·ḡāh še·yō·ṣā mil·lip̄·nê haš·šal·lîṭ — WLC · 5
6
Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
𐤄𐤎𐤊𐤋 𐤍𐤕𐤍 𐤓𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤌𐤓𐤅𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤐𐤋
הַסֶּ֔כֶל נִתַּ֣ן רַבִּ֑ים בַּמְּרוֹמִ֖ים וַעֲשִׁירִ֖ים יֵשֵֽׁבוּ׃ בַּשֵּׁ֥פֶל has·se·ḵel nit·tan rab·bîm bam·mə·rō·w·mîm wa·‘ă·šî·rîm yê·šê·ḇū baš·šê·p̄el — WLC · 6
7
I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
𐤓𐤀𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤎𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤊𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤌
רָאִ֥יתִי עֲבָדִ֖ים עַל־ סוּסִ֑ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים הֹלְכִ֥ים עַל־ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ כַּעֲבָדִ֖ים rā·’î·ṯî ‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm ‘al- sū·sîm wə·śā·rîm hō·lə·ḵîm ‘al- hā·’ā·reṣ ka·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm — WLC · 7
8
He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
𐤇𐤐𐤓 𐤂𐤅𐤌𐤑 𐤉𐤐𐤅𐤋 𐤁𐤅 𐤅𐤐𐤓𐤑 𐤂𐤃𐤓 𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤍𐤅 𐤍𐤇𐤔
חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ יִפּ֑וֹל בּ֣וֹ וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃ ḥō·p̄êr gūm·māṣ yip·pō·wl bōw ū·p̄ō·rêṣ gā·ḏêr yiš·šə·ḵen·nū nā·ḥāš — WLC · 8
9
The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself
𐤌𐤎𐤉𐤏 𐤀𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤏𐤑𐤁 𐤁𐤄𐤌 𐤁𐤅𐤒𐤏 𐤏𐤑𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤎𐤊𐤍 𐤁𐤌
מַסִּ֣יעַ אֲבָנִ֔ים יֵעָצֵ֖ב בָּהֶ֑ם בּוֹקֵ֥עַ עֵצִ֖ים יִסָּ֥כֶן בָּֽם׃ mas·sî·a‘ ’ă·ḇā·nîm yê·‘ā·ṣêḇ bā·hem bō·w·qê·a‘ ‘ê·ṣîm yis·sā·ḵen bām — WLC · 9
10
If the axe is dull and the blade vvv unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋 𐤒𐤄𐤄 𐤅𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤒𐤋𐤒𐤋 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤂𐤁𐤓 𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤄𐤊𐤔𐤉𐤓
אִם־ הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל קֵהָ֣ה וְהוּא֙ פָנִ֣ים לֹא־ קִלְקַ֔ל וַחֲיָלִ֖ים יְגַבֵּ֑ר חָכְמָֽה׃ וְיִתְר֥וֹן הַכְשֵׁ֖יר ’im- hab·bar·zel qê·hāh wə·hū p̄ā·nîm lō- qil·qal wa·ḥă·yā·lîm yə·ḡab·bêr ḥāḵ·māh wə·yiṯ·rō·wn haḵ·šēr — WLC · 10
11
If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer…
𐤀𐤌 𐤄𐤍𐤇𐤔 𐤉𐤔𐤊 𐤁𐤋𐤅𐤀 𐤋𐤇𐤔 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤉𐤕𐤓𐤅𐤍 𐤋𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍
אִם־ הַנָּחָ֖שׁ יִשֹּׁ֥ךְ בְּלוֹא־ לָ֑חַשׁ וְאֵ֣ין יִתְר֔וֹן לְבַ֖עַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃ ’im- han·nā·ḥāš yiš·šōḵ bə·lō·w- lā·ḥaš wə·’ên yiṯ·rō·wn lə·ḇa·‘al hal·lā·šō·wn — WLC · 11
12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤇𐤊𐤌 𐤐𐤉 𐤇𐤍 𐤅𐤔𐤐𐤕𐤅𐤕 𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋 𐤕𐤁𐤋𐤏𐤍𐤅
דִּבְרֵ֥י חָכָ֖ם פִי־ חֵ֑ן וְשִׂפְת֥וֹת כְּסִ֖יל תְּבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃ diḇ·rê ḥā·ḵām p̄î- ḥên wə·śip̄·ṯō·wṯ kə·sîl tə·ḇal·lə·‘en·nū — WLC · 12
13
The beginning of his talk… is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
𐤕𐤇𐤋𐤕 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤎𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤕 𐤐𐤉𐤄𐤅 𐤓𐤏𐤄 𐤄𐤅𐤋𐤋𐤅𐤕
תְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבְרֵי־ פִ֖יהוּ סִכְל֑וּת וְאַחֲרִ֣ית פִּ֔יהוּ רָעָֽה׃ הוֹלֵל֖וּת tə·ḥil·laṯ diḇ·rê- p̄î·hū siḵ·lūṯ wə·’a·ḥă·rîṯ pî·hū rā·‘āh hō·w·lê·lūṯ — WLC · 13
14
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
𐤅𐤄𐤎𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤓𐤁𐤄 𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤄𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤉𐤅
וְהַסָּכָ֖ל יַרְבֶּ֣ה דְבָרִ֑ים לֹא־ הָאָדָם֙ יֵדַ֤ע מַה־ שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֔ה מִ֖י יַגִּ֥יד לֽוֹ׃ וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יִֽהְיֶה֙ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֔יו wə·has·sā·ḵāl yar·beh ḏə·ḇā·rîm lō- hā·’ā·ḏām yê·ḏa‘ mah- še·yih·yeh mî yag·gîḏ lōw wa·’ă·šer yih·yeh mê·’a·ḥă·rāw — WLC · 14
15
The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
𐤏𐤌𐤋 𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤕𐤉𐤂𐤏𐤍𐤅 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤃𐤏 𐤋𐤋𐤊𐤕 𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤉𐤓
עֲמַ֥ל הַכְּסִילִ֖ים תְּיַגְּעֶ֑נּוּ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־ יָדַ֖ע לָלֶ֥כֶת אֶל־ עִֽיר׃ ‘ă·mal hak·kə·sî·lîm tə·yag·gə·‘en·nū ’ă·šer lō- yā·ḏa‘ lā·le·ḵeṯ ’el- ‘îr — WLC · 15
16
Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
𐤀𐤉 𐤋𐤊 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤔𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤊 𐤍𐤏𐤓 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤁𐤒𐤓
אִֽי־ לָ֣ךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ נָ֑עַר וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ בַּבֹּ֥קֶר ’î- lāḵ ’e·reṣ šem·mal·kêḵ nā·‘ar wə·śā·ra·yiḵ yō·ḵê·lū bab·bō·qer — WLC · 16
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.
𐤀𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤔𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤊 𐤁𐤍 𐤇𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤊 𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤏𐤕 𐤁𐤂𐤁𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤔𐤕𐤉
אַשְׁרֵ֣יךְ אֶ֔רֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּ֖ךְ בֶּן־ חוֹרִ֑ים וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ בָּעֵ֣ת בִּגְבוּרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א בַשְּׁתִֽי׃ ’aš·rêḵ ’e·reṣ šem·mal·kêḵ ben- ḥō·w·rîm wə·śā·ra·yiḵ yō·ḵê·lū bā·‘êṯ biḡ·ḇū·rāh wə·lō ḇaš·šə·ṯî — WLC · 17
18
Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
𐤁𐤏𐤑𐤋𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤌𐤒𐤓𐤄 𐤉𐤌𐤊 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤁𐤔𐤐𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤄𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤉𐤃𐤋𐤐
בַּעֲצַלְתַּ֖יִם הַמְּקָרֶ֑ה יִמַּ֣ךְ יָדַ֖יִם וּבְשִׁפְל֥וּת הַבָּֽיִת׃ יִדְלֹ֥ף ba·‘ă·ṣal·ta·yim ham·mə·qā·reh yim·maḵ yā·ḏa·yim ū·ḇə·šip̄·lūṯ hab·bā·yiṯ yiḏ·lōp̄ — WLC · 18
19
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤔𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇 𐤅𐤄𐤊𐤎𐤐 𐤉𐤏𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤊𐤋
לֶ֔חֶם עֹשִׂ֣ים לִשְׂחוֹק֙ וְיַ֖יִן חַיִּ֑ים יְשַׂמַּ֣ח וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־ הַכֹּֽל׃ le·ḥem ‘ō·śîm liś·ḥō·wq wə·ya·yin ḥay·yîm yə·śam·maḥ wə·hak·ke·sep̄ ya·‘ă·neh ’eṯ- hak·kōl — WLC · 19
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.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤒𐤋𐤋 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤂𐤌 𐤁𐤌𐤃𐤏𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤒𐤋𐤋 𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤁𐤇𐤃𐤓𐤉 𐤌𐤔𐤊𐤁𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤅𐤋𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤕 𐤄𐤒𐤅𐤋 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤃𐤁𐤓
אַל־ תְּקַלֵּ֔ל מֶ֚לֶךְ גַּ֣ם בְּמַדָּֽעֲךָ֗ אַל־ תְּקַלֵּ֖ל עָשִׁ֑יר וּבְחַדְרֵי֙ מִשְׁכָּ֣בְךָ֔ כִּ֣י ע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ יוֹלִ֣יךְ אֶת־ הַקּ֔וֹל וּבַ֥עַל הַכְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּ֥יד דָּבָֽר׃ ’al- tə·qal·lêl me·leḵ gam bə·mad·dā·‘ă·ḵā ’al- tə·qal·lêl ‘ā·šîr ū·ḇə·ḥaḏ·rê miš·kā·ḇə·ḵā kî ‘ō·wp̄ haš·šā·ma·yim yō·w·lîḵ ’eṯ- haq·qō·wl ū·ḇa·‘al hak·kə·nå̄·p̄a·yim yag·gêḏ dā·ḇār — WLC · 20