Eklesiastes 10
1 Mana kaka lwangʼni motho miyo gima dungʼ mangʼwe ngʼar bedo gi tik marach, e kaka miriambo matin ketho rieko kod luor.
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
2 Ngʼat mariek timo timbe mabeyo, to ngʼat mofuwo timo timbe maricho.
The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
3 Fupe nenore anena kata kowuotho e yo, kendo ji duto manene ongʼeyo ni ofuwo.
And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
4 Ka ruoth okecho kodi, to kik iwe tiji mitiyono; nimar kibolori to ruoth nyalo ngʼwononi kuom kethogi mangʼeny.
If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
5 Nitie richo ma aseneno e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ, ketho moro mawuok kuom jatelo:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
6 Joma ofuwo imiyo tije madongo dongo, to jo-mwandu to iketo e mago matindo.
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
7 Aseneno wasumbini e ngʼe farese, to jotelo wuotho gi tiendgi ka wasumbini.
I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
8 Ngʼama kunyo bur matut nyalo lwar e iye; to ngʼama muko kor ot thuol nyalo kayo.
He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
9 Ngʼama kunyo kite inyalo hiny gi kitego; to ngʼama baro yien inyalo hiny gi yien.
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
10 Ka le dik kendo lewe ok opiagi, to nyaka oti kode gi teko mathoth eka obar yien, kuom mano chan gik moko chon kapod ok itimo.
If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
11 Ka thuol okecho kapok oboye, to koro onge ohala mar ja-bocho.
If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
12 Weche moa e dho ngʼat man-gi rieko nigi ngʼwono, to ngʼama ofuwo tiekore mana gi wechene owuon.
The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
13 Ngʼama ofuwo chako gi weche mag fuwo; to gikone ni gin weche neko,
The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
14 kendo wechege ngʼeny maonge tiende. Onge ngʼama ongʼeyo gima biro timorene kiny, koro en ngʼa manyalo nyise gima biro timorene bangʼ thone?
The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
15 Ngʼama ofuwo nyagore gi tich matek ma ok konye; nimar kata kuma oaye ok onyal paro.
The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
16 Okwongʼ piny ma ruodhe ne en jatich kendo ma jotende mondo e nyasi gokinyi.
Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
17 Joma ruodhigo wuok e anywola mar jotelo gin johawi kendo ruodhigigo chiemo e sa mowinjore, mondo giyud teko to ok mondo gimer.
Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
18 Ka ngʼato nyap, to kor ode nyaka mukre marieny; to ngʼato ma budho abudha ma ok ti gi lwete, to ode nyaka chwer.
When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
19 Chiemo mabeyo miyo ngʼato bedo mamor, kendo divai bende miyo ngʼato winjo maber, to pesa ema miyo ngʼato bedo gi gimoro amora modwaro.
A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
20 Kik icha ruoth kata mana e pachi, kata kwongʼo ja-mwandu kor kachiena, nikech winyo mafuyo e yamo nyalo kawo wecheni, kendo winyo ma fuyono nyalo terone gima iwacho.
Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
