Mlaliki 7
1 Mbiri yabwino ndi yopambana mafuta onunkhira bwino, ndipo tsiku lomwalira ndi lopambana tsiku lobadwa.
A good name is better than costly perfume, and the day of death is better than the day of birth.
2 Kuli bwino kupita ku nyumba yamaliro kusiyana ndi kupita ku nyumba yamadyerero: Pakuti imfa ndiye mathero a munthu aliyense; anthu amoyo azichisunga chimenechi mʼmitima mwawo.
It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for mourning comes to all people at the end of life, so living people must take this to heart.
3 Chisoni nʼchabwino kusiyana ndi kuseka, pakuti nkhope yakugwa ndi yabwino chifukwa imakonza mtima.
Grief is better than laughter, for after sadness of face comes gladness of heart.
4 Mtima wa munthu wanzeru nthawi zonse umalingalira za imfa, koma mitima ya zitsiru imalingalira za chisangalalo.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of feasting.
5 Kuli bwino kumva kudzudzula kwa munthu wanzeru kusiyana ndi kumvera mayamiko a zitsiru.
It is better to listen to the rebuke of the wise than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Kuseka kwa zitsiru kuli ngati kuthetheka kwa moto kunsi kwa mʼphika, izinso ndi zopandapake.
For like the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so also is the laughter of fools. This, too, is vapor.
7 Kuzunza ena kumasandutsa munthu wanzeru kukhala chitsiru, ndipo chiphuphu chimawononga mtima.
Extortion certainly makes a wise man foolish, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 Mathero ake a chinthu ndi abwino kupambana chiyambi chake, ndipo kufatsa nʼkwabwino kupambana kudzikuza.
Better is the end of a matter than the beginning; and the people patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.
9 Usamafulumire kukwiya mu mtima mwako, pakuti mkwiyo ndi bwenzi la zitsiru.
Do not be quick to anger in your spirit, for anger resides in the hearts of fools.
10 Usamafunse kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani masiku amakedzana anali abwino kupambana masiku ano?” pakuti si chinthu chanzeru kufunsa mafunso oterewa.
Do not say, “Why were the days of old better than these?” For it is not because of wisdom that you ask this question.
11 Nzeru ngati cholowa, ndi chinthu chabwino ndipo imapindulitsa wamoyo aliyense pansi pano.
Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good. It benefits those who see the sun.
12 Nzeru ndi chitetezo, monganso ndalama zili chitetezo, koma phindu la chidziwitso ndi ili: kuti nzeru zimasunga moyo wa munthu amene ali nazo nzeruzo.
For wisdom provides protection as money can provide protection, but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to whoever has it.
13 Taganizirani zimene Mulungu wazichita: ndani angathe kuwongola chinthu chimene Iye anachipanga chokhota?
Consider the deeds of God: Who can straighten out anything he has made crooked?
14 Pamene zinthu zili bwino, sangalala; koma pamene zinthu sizili bwino, ganizira bwino: Mulungu ndiye anapanga nthawi yabwinoyo, ndiponso nthawi imene si yabwinoyo. Choncho munthu sangathe kuzindikira chilichonse cha mʼtsogolo mwake.
When times are good, live happily in that good, but when times are bad, consider this: God has allowed both to exist side by side. For this reason, no one will find out anything that is coming after him.
15 Pa moyo wanga wopanda phinduwu ndaona zinthu ziwiri izi: munthu wolungama akuwonongeka mʼchilungamo chake, ndipo munthu woyipa akukhala moyo wautali mʼzoyipa zake.
I have seen many things in my meaningless days. There are righteous people who perish in spite of their righteousness, and there are wicked people who live a long life in spite of their evil.
16 Usakhale wolungama kwambiri kapena wanzeru kwambiri, udziwonongerenji wekha?
Do not be self-righteous, wise in your own eyes. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Usakhale woyipa kwambiri, ndipo usakhale chitsiru, uferenji nthawi yako isanakwane?
Do not be too wicked or foolish. Why should you die before your time?
18 Nʼkwabwino kuti utsate njira imodzi, ndipo usataye njira inayo. Munthu amene amaopa Mulungu adzapewa zinthu ziwiri zonsezi.
It is good that you should take hold of this wisdom, and that you should not let go of righteousness. For the person who fears God will meet all his obligations.
19 Nzeru zimapereka mphamvu zambiri kwa munthu wanzeru kupambana olamulira khumi a mu mzinda.
Wisdom is powerful in the wise man, more than ten rulers in a city.
20 Palibe munthu wolungama pa dziko lapansi amene amachita zabwino zokhazokha ndipo sachimwa.
There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Usamamvetsere mawu onse amene anthu amayankhula, mwina udzamva wantchito wako akukutukwana,
Do not listen to every word that is spoken, because you might hear your servant curse you.
22 pakuti iwe ukudziwa mu mtima mwako kuti nthawi zambiri iwenso unatukwanapo ena.
Similarly, you know yourself that in your own heart you have often cursed others.
23 Zonsezi ndinaziyesa ndi nzeru zanga ndipo ndinati, “Ine ndatsimikiza mu mtima mwanga kuti ndikhale wanzeru,” koma nzeruyo inanditalikira.
All this have I proven by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was more than I could be.
24 Nzeru zimene zilipo, zili kutali ndipo ndi zozama kwambiri, ndani angathe kuzidziwa?
Wisdom is far off and very deep. Who can find it?
25 Kotero ndinayikapo mtima wanga kuti ndidziwe, ndifufuze ndi kumafunafuna nzeru ndi mmene zinthu zimakhalira ndipo ndinafunanso kudziwa kuyipa kwa uchitsiru ndiponso kupusa kwake kwa misala.
I turned my heart to learn and examine and seek wisdom and the explanations of reality, and to understand that evil is stupid and that folly is madness.
26 Ndinapeza kanthu kowawa kupambana imfa, mkazi amene ali ngati khoka, amene mtima wake uli ngati khwekhwe, ndipo manja ake ali ngati maunyolo. Munthu amene amakondweretsa Mulungu adzathawa mkaziyo, koma mkaziyo adzakola munthu wochimwa.
I found that more bitter than death is any woman whose heart is full of snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be taken by her.
27 Mlaliki akunena kuti, “Taonani, chimene ndinachipeza ndi ichi: “Kuwonjezera chinthu china pa china kuti ndidziwe mmene zinthu zimachitikira,
“Consider what I have discovered,” says the Teacher. “I have been adding one discovery to another in order to find an explanation of reality.
28 pamene ine ndinali kufufuzabe koma osapeza kanthu, ndinapeza munthu mmodzi wolungama pakati pa anthu 1,000, koma pakati pawo panalibepo mkazi mmodzi wolungama.
This is what I am still looking for, but I have not found it. I did find one righteous man among a thousand, but a woman among all those I did not find.
29 Chokhacho chimene ndinachipeza ndi ichi: Mulungu analenga munthu, anamupatsa mtima wolungama, koma anthu anatsatira njira zawozawo zambirimbiri.”
I have discovered only this: That God created humanity upright, but they have gone away looking for many difficulties.”
