The Latin Vulgate VUL
Good News Translation GNT
1 muscae morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti pretiosior est sapientia et gloria parva ad tempus stultitia
1
Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom.
2 cor sapientis in dextera eius et cor stulti in sinistra illius
2
It is natural for the wise to do the right thing and for fools to do the wrong thing.
3 sed et in via stultus ambulans cum ipse insipiens sit omnes stultos aestimat
3
Their stupidity will be evident even to strangers they meet along the way; they let everyone know that they are fools.
4 si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te locum tuum ne dimiseris quia curatio cessare faciet peccata maxima
4
If your ruler becomes angry with you, do not hand in your resignation; serious wrongs may be pardoned if you keep calm.
5 est malum quod vidi sub sole quasi per errorem egrediens a facie principis
5
Here is an injustice I have seen in the world - an injustice caused by rulers.
6 positum stultum in dignitate sublimi et divites sedere deorsum
6
Stupid people are given positions of authority while the rich are ignored.
7 vidi servos in equis et principes ambulantes quasi servos super terram
7
I have seen slaves on horseback while noblemen go on foot like slaves.
8 qui fodit foveam incidet in eam et qui dissipat sepem mordebit eum coluber
8
If you dig a pit, you fall in it; if you break through a wall, a snake bites you.
9 qui transfert lapides adfligetur in eis et qui scindit ligna vulnerabitur ab eis
9
If you work in a stone quarry, you get hurt by stones. If you split wood, you get hurt doing it.
10 si retunsum fuerit ferrum et hoc non ut prius sed hebetatum erit multo labore exacuatur et post industriam sequitur sapientia
10
If your ax is dull and you don't sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead.
11 si mordeat serpens in silentio nihil eo minus habet qui occulte detrahit
11
Knowing how to charm a snake is of no use if you let the snake bite first.
12 verba oris sapientis gratia et labia insipientis praecipitabunt eum
12
What the wise say brings them honor, but fools are destroyed by their own words.
13 initium verborum eius stultitia et novissimum oris illius error pessimus
13
They start out with silly talk and end up with pure madness.
14 stultus verba multiplicat ignorat homo quid ante se fuerit et quod post futurum est quis illi poterit indicare
14
A fool talks on and on. No one knows what is going to happen next, and no one can tell us what will happen after we die.
15 labor stultorum adfliget eos qui nesciunt in urbem pergere
15
Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.
16 vae tibi terra cuius rex est puer et cuius principes mane comedunt
16
A country is in trouble when its king is a youth and its leaders feast all night long.
17 beata terra cuius rex nobilis est et cuius principes vescuntur in tempore suo ad reficiendum et non ad luxuriam
17
But a country is fortunate to have a king who makes his own decisions and leaders who eat at the proper time, who control themselves and don't get drunk.
18 in pigritiis humiliabitur contignatio et in infirmitate manuum perstillabit domus
18
When you are too lazy to repair your roof, it will leak, and the house will fall in.
19 in risu faciunt panem ac vinum ut epulentur viventes et pecuniae oboedient omnia
19
Feasting makes you happy and wine cheers you up, but you can't have either without money.
20 in cogitatione tua regi ne detrahas et in secreto cubiculi tui ne maledixeris diviti quia avis caeli portabit vocem tuam et qui habet pinnas adnuntiabit sententiam
20
Don't criticize the king, even silently, and don't criticize the rich, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird might carry the message and tell them what you said.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.