Eklesiastes 7
1 Nying maber longʼo moloyo mo mangʼwe ngʼar, kendo odiechieng tho ber moloyo odiechieng nywol.
A [good] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 Ber mondo idhi e od kuyo moloyo ot mitimoe nyasi, nimar tho e giko ngʼato ka ngʼato; joma pod ngima nyaka ngʼe ma e chunygi.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Kuyo ber moloyo nyiero, nikech wangʼ man-gi lit berne chuny.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 Ngʼat mariek wiye ok wil gi tho, to ngʼat mofuwo paro mana mor pile.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Ber mondo ichik iti ne siem ngʼat man-gi rieko, moloyo chiko iti ne wend joma ofuwo.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Nyiero mar ngʼama ofuwo onge tiende omiyo ochalo mana gi kudho mararni e mach e bwo agulu. Ma bende onge tiende.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Ka ngʼat mariek mayo ji to obedo ngʼama ofuwo, to ngʼama kawo asoya kethore kende owuon.
Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
8 Giko mar gimoro ber moloyo chakruokne kendo bedo mos ber moloyo sunga.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Kik ibed ngʼama chwanyore piyo e chunye; nikech joma ofuwo ema timo kamano.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Bende kik ipenjri ni angʼo momiyo ndalo machon gik moko ne timore maber moloyo ndalogi? Mano en penjo mar ngʼat mofuwo.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Rieko ber mana kaka girkeni, en gima ber kendo en ohala ne joma mangima.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12 Rieko en tipo mana kaka pesa bende en tipo, nimar rieko kelo ngima ni ngʼama ni kode.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Parane gima Nyasaye osetimo: En ngʼa manyalo rieyo gima osedolo?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 Ka gik moko dhini maber, to bed mamor, to ka chandruok omaki; to ngʼe ni Nyasaye ema oyie mondo gik moko ariyogo otimre. Emomiyo, dhano ok nyal fwenyo gimoro amora mabiro timorene e ndalo mabiro.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that shall be] after him.
15 E ngima madakie maonge tiendeni asefwenyo ni ngʼat ma ja-ratiro rumo nikech ratiro mare kendo ngʼat ma jaricho dak ndalo mangʼeny kotimo richo.
All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Kik ibed ngʼat mariek ahinya kata ngʼat mongʼeyo ahinya, nimar inyalo tiekori kendi iwuon.
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Kik ibed ngʼama timbene mono ahinya kata ngʼama ofuwo, nimar angʼo momiyo idwaro ni itho ka ndaloni pok ochopo?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Kuom mano, e weche ariyogi kik iher moro moloyo machielo, nikech ngʼat moluoro Nyasaye ema dhi maber.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Gima rieko nyalo timo ne ngʼato duongʼ moloyo gima jotelo apar nyalo timo ne dala maduongʼ.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city.
20 Onge ngʼato kata achiel e piny ngima matimo mana gik mabeyo lilo ma ok oketho.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Kik ichik iti ni weche ma ji wacho, dipo ka iwinjo ka jatichni kwongʼi,
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 nimar in bende ingʼeyo e chunyi ni kinde mangʼeny in iwuon isekwongʼo joma moko.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Ne apimo gigo duto gi rieko ka aketo chunya mondo abed mariek, to ne ayudo ka ok anyal.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Ere kaka dhano difweny rieko? Otut moyombowa, kendo otek modhierowa winjo.
That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25 Omiyo ne aloko pacha mondo anon kendo awinj tiend rieko, kaachiel gi chenro mar gik moko, bangʼe to ne ayudo ni ngʼat mofuwo en jaricho kendo janeko.
I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness:
26 Bangʼe ne ayudo ni dhako ma jachode rach moloyo, tho nimar chunye en obadho, to lwetene gin nyororo. Ngʼat moluoro Nyasaye notony e lwete, to jaricho to nokelne mana chandruok.
And I find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Jayalo wacho niya, “Ma e gima asefwenyo kane adwaro tiend wechegi achiel kachiel,
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher; [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account:
28 to kane pod anono wechegi, to ne ayudo ni kuom ji alufu achiel, dichwo achiel kende ema nyalo bedo gi rieko, to dhako to onge mariek kata achiel.
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Gimoro kendo maseyudo en ni Nyasaye nochweyo ji duto momiyo rieko, makmana ni dhano osebaro ka dwaro gik mangʼeny.”
Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
