Ecclesiastes 10
1 As dead flies bring a stench to the perfumer’s oil, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
O ta ũrĩa ngi nguũ itũmaga maguta manungi wega magĩe na kĩheera kĩuru-rĩ, noguo ũkĩĩgu mũnini ũkomagĩrĩria ũũgĩ na gĩtĩĩo.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.
Ngoro ya mũndũ ũrĩa mũũgĩ yerekagĩra mwena wa ũrĩo, no ngoro ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩkeerekera mwena wa ũmotho.
3 Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
O na rĩrĩa egũthiĩ na njĩra, mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩoragwo nĩ meciiria make, na akoonia mũndũ o wothe ũrĩa arĩ mũkĩĩgu.
4 If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Marakara ma mũndũ ũrĩa wathanaga mangĩarahũka igũrũ rĩaku, ndũkoime harĩa ũrĩ; ũhooreri no ũhoorerie mahĩtia manene.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun— an error that proceeds from the ruler:
Nĩ harĩ ũndũ mũũru nyonete gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa, na nĩ ihĩtia rĩrĩa riumanaga na mwathi wa andũ:
6 Folly is appointed to great heights, but the rich sit in lowly positions.
Atĩ andũ arĩa akĩĩgu nĩmatũũgagĩrio mũno, nao andũ arĩa itonga makanyiihio.
7 I have seen slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves.
Nĩnyonete ngombo igĩthiĩ ihaicĩte mbarathi, nao ariũ a athamaki magathiĩ na magũrũ ta ngombo.
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaches a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wenjaga irima-rĩ, nĩwe ũkaarĩgũa; nake ũrĩa ũtharagia rũthingo nĩkũrũmwo akaarũmwo nĩ nyoka.
9 The one who quarries stones may be injured by them, and he who splits logs endangers himself.
Mũndũ ũrĩa wenjaga mahiga no agerwo ngero nĩmo; nake ũrĩa watũraga ngũ no imũrehere ũgwati.
10 If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
Ithanwa rĩngĩtuuha na rĩage kũnoorwo-rĩ, mũndũ nĩatũmagĩra hinya mũingĩ, no ũũgĩ wa wĩra ũrehaga ũhootani.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
Nyoka ĩngĩrũma mũndũ ĩtanathuuthĩrwo ĩhoorere-rĩ, hatirĩ bata kũrĩ mũmĩthuuthĩri.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ mũũgĩ nĩ cia ũtugi, no mũndũ mũkĩĩgu aniinagwo nĩ mĩromo yake mwene.
13 The beginning of his talk is folly, and the end of his speech is evil madness.
Kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ ciugo ciake nĩ cia ũrimũ; na kĩrĩkĩrĩro-inĩ nĩ cia ũgũrũki mũtheri:
14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
nake mũndũ mũkĩĩgu no ciugo aingĩhagia. Gũtirĩ mũndũ ũũĩ ũrĩa gũkaahaana, ningĩ nũũ ũngĩmwĩra ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa mageekĩka thuutha wake?
15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
Wĩra wa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩũmũnogagia; we ndamenyaga njĩra ya gũthiĩ itũũra-inĩ.
16 Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning.
Bũrũri ũrĩa mũthamaki wakuo aarĩ ndungata, na anene akuo marokagĩra kũrĩa o rũciinĩ kaĩ ũrĩ na haaro-ĩ!
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩwe bũrũri ũrĩa mũthamaki waku aaciarĩtwo arĩ mũndũ wa gũtĩĩka, na ũrĩa ariũ ake marĩĩaga irio ihinda rĩrĩa rĩagĩrĩire: nĩgeetha magĩe na hinya, na makanyua, no ti geetha marĩĩo.
18 Through laziness the roof caves in, and in the hands of the idle, the house leaks.
Mũndũ angĩkorwo arĩ kĩgũũta, mĩitĩrĩro ya nyũmba yake nĩĩhocagĩrĩra; namo moko make mangĩregera, nyũmba no yure.
19 A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.
Iruga rĩrugagwo nĩguo andũ makene, nayo ndibei ĩkenagia muoyo, no mbeeca nĩcio ihingagia maũndũ mothe.
20 Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
Ndũkanarume mũthamaki, o na meciiria-inĩ maku, na ndũkanacuuke gĩtonga ũrĩ nyũmba yaku ya thĩinĩ, tondũ nyoni ya rĩera-inĩ no ĩtware ciugo ciaku, o na kana ĩrĩa ĩrĩ mathagu ĩheane ũhoro ũcio warĩtie.
