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 cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
2 Ngʼat mariek timo timbe mabeyo, to ngʼat mofuwo timo timbe maricho.
The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3 Fupe nenore anena kata kowuotho e yo, kendo ji duto manene ongʼeyo ni ofuwo.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
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 go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
5 Nitie richo ma aseneno e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ, ketho moro mawuok kuom jatelo:
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
6 Joma ofuwo imiyo tije madongo dongo, to jo-mwandu to iketo e mago matindo.
He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
7 Aseneno wasumbini e ngʼe farese, to jotelo wuotho gi tiendgi ka wasumbini.
I have seen servants on 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.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 Ngʼama kunyo kite inyalo hiny gi kitego; to ngʼama baro yien inyalo hiny gi yien.
Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
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 hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11 Ka thuol okecho kapok oboye, to koro onge ohala mar ja-bocho.
If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12 Weche moa e dho ngʼat man-gi rieko nigi ngʼwono, to ngʼama ofuwo tiekore mana gi wechene owuon.
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool 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 latter end of his mouth [Is] 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?
And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
15 Ngʼama ofuwo nyagore gi tich matek ma ok konye; nimar kata kuma oaye ok onyal paro.
The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
16 Okwongʼ piny ma ruodhe ne en jatich kendo ma jotende mondo e nyasi gokinyi.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do 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.
Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
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 slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
19 Chiemo mabeyo miyo ngʼato bedo mamor, kendo divai bende miyo ngʼato winjo maber, to pesa ema miyo ngʼato bedo gi gimoro amora modwaro.
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
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 mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
