Eklesiastes 10
1 Mana kaka lwangʼni motho miyo gima dungʼ mangʼwe ngʼar bedo gi tik marach, e kaka miriambo matin ketho rieko kod luor.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Ngʼat mariek timo timbe mabeyo, to ngʼat mofuwo timo timbe maricho.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Fupe nenore anena kata kowuotho e yo, kendo ji duto manene ongʼeyo ni ofuwo.
Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Ka ruoth okecho kodi, to kik iwe tiji mitiyono; nimar kibolori to ruoth nyalo ngʼwononi kuom kethogi mangʼeny.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
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, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Joma ofuwo imiyo tije madongo dongo, to jo-mwandu to iketo e mago matindo.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Aseneno wasumbini e ngʼe farese, to jotelo wuotho gi tiendgi ka wasumbini.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Ngʼama kunyo bur matut nyalo lwar e iye; to ngʼama muko kor ot thuol nyalo kayo.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Ngʼama kunyo kite inyalo hiny gi kitego; to ngʼama baro yien inyalo hiny gi yien.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
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 axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Ka thuol okecho kapok oboye, to koro onge ohala mar ja-bocho.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Weche moa e dho ngʼat man-gi rieko nigi ngʼwono, to ngʼama ofuwo tiekore mana gi wechene owuon.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Ngʼama ofuwo chako gi weche mag fuwo; to gikone ni gin weche neko,
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 kendo wechege ngʼeny maonge tiende. Onge ngʼama ongʼeyo gima biro timorene kiny, koro en ngʼa manyalo nyise gima biro timorene bangʼ thone?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Ngʼama ofuwo nyagore gi tich matek ma ok konye; nimar kata kuma oaye ok onyal paro.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Okwongʼ piny ma ruodhe ne en jatich kendo ma jotende mondo e nyasi gokinyi.
Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat 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.
Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Ka ngʼato nyap, to kor ode nyaka mukre marieny; to ngʼato ma budho abudha ma ok ti gi lwete, to ode nyaka chwer.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Chiemo mabeyo miyo ngʼato bedo mamor, kendo divai bende miyo ngʼato winjo maber, to pesa ema miyo ngʼato bedo gi gimoro amora modwaro.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
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.
Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
