Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and one’s day of death is better than his day of birth.
Mbiri yabwino ndi yopambana mafuta onunkhira bwino, ndipo tsiku lomwalira ndi lopambana tsiku lobadwa.
2 It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.
Kuli bwino kupita ku nyumba yamaliro kusiyana ndi kupita ku nyumba yamadyerero: Pakuti imfa ndiye mathero a munthu aliyense; anthu amoyo azichisunga chimenechi mʼmitima mwawo.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for a sad countenance is good for the heart.
Chisoni nʼchabwino kusiyana ndi kuseka, pakuti nkhope yakugwa ndi yabwino chifukwa imakonza mtima.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
Mtima wa munthu wanzeru nthawi zonse umalingalira za imfa, koma mitima ya zitsiru imalingalira za chisangalalo.
5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
Kuli bwino kumva kudzudzula kwa munthu wanzeru kusiyana ndi kumvera mayamiko a zitsiru.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.
Kuseka kwa zitsiru kuli ngati kuthetheka kwa moto kunsi kwa mʼphika, izinso ndi zopandapake.
7 Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Kuzunza ena kumasandutsa munthu wanzeru kukhala chitsiru, ndipo chiphuphu chimawononga mtima.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning, and a patient spirit is better than a proud one.
Mathero ake a chinthu ndi abwino kupambana chiyambi chake, ndipo kufatsa nʼkwabwino kupambana kudzikuza.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.
Usamafulumire kukwiya mu mtima mwako, pakuti mkwiyo ndi bwenzi la zitsiru.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is unwise of you to ask about this.
Usamafunse kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani masiku amakedzana anali abwino kupambana masiku ano?” pakuti si chinthu chanzeru kufunsa mafunso oterewa.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is good, and it benefits those who see the sun.
Nzeru ngati cholowa, ndi chinthu chabwino ndipo imapindulitsa wamoyo aliyense pansi pano.
12 For wisdom, like money, is a shelter, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner.
Nzeru ndi chitetezo, monganso ndalama zili chitetezo, koma phindu la chidziwitso ndi ili: kuti nzeru zimasunga moyo wa munthu amene ali nazo nzeruzo.
13 Consider the work of God: Who can straighten what He has bent?
Taganizirani zimene Mulungu wazichita: ndani angathe kuwongola chinthu chimene Iye anachipanga chokhota?
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him.
Pamene zinthu zili bwino, sangalala; koma pamene zinthu sizili bwino, ganizira bwino: Mulungu ndiye anapanga nthawi yabwinoyo, ndiponso nthawi imene si yabwinoyo. Choncho munthu sangathe kuzindikira chilichonse cha mʼtsogolo mwake.
15 In my futile life I have seen both of these: A righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
Pa moyo wanga wopanda phinduwu ndaona zinthu ziwiri izi: munthu wolungama akuwonongeka mʼchilungamo chake, ndipo munthu woyipa akukhala moyo wautali mʼzoyipa zake.
16 Do not be overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Usakhale wolungama kwambiri kapena wanzeru kwambiri, udziwonongerenji wekha?
17 Do not be excessively wicked, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Usakhale woyipa kwambiri, ndipo usakhale chitsiru, uferenji nthawi yako isanakwane?
18 It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.
Nʼkwabwino kuti utsate njira imodzi, ndipo usataye njira inayo. Munthu amene amaopa Mulungu adzapewa zinthu ziwiri zonsezi.
19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger than ten rulers in a city.
Nzeru zimapereka mphamvu zambiri kwa munthu wanzeru kupambana olamulira khumi a mu mzinda.
20 Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Palibe munthu wolungama pa dziko lapansi amene amachita zabwino zokhazokha ndipo sachimwa.
21 Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
Usamamvetsere mawu onse amene anthu amayankhula, mwina udzamva wantchito wako akukutukwana,
22 For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
pakuti iwe ukudziwa mu mtima mwako kuti nthawi zambiri iwenso unatukwanapo ena.
23 All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
Zonsezi ndinaziyesa ndi nzeru zanga ndipo ndinati, “Ine ndatsimikiza mu mtima mwanga kuti ndikhale wanzeru,” koma nzeruyo inanditalikira.
24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?
Nzeru zimene zilipo, zili kutali ndipo ndi zozama kwambiri, ndani angathe kuzidziwa?
25 I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
Kotero ndinayikapo mtima wanga kuti ndidziwe, ndifufuze ndi kumafunafuna nzeru ndi mmene zinthu zimakhalira ndipo ndinafunanso kudziwa kuyipa kwa uchitsiru ndiponso kupusa kwake kwa misala.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
Ndinapeza kanthu kowawa kupambana imfa, mkazi amene ali ngati khoka, amene mtima wake uli ngati khwekhwe, ndipo manja ake ali ngati maunyolo. Munthu amene amakondweretsa Mulungu adzathawa mkaziyo, koma mkaziyo adzakola munthu wochimwa.
27 “Behold,” says the Teacher, “I have discovered this by adding one thing to another to find an explanation.
Mlaliki akunena kuti, “Taonani, chimene ndinachipeza ndi ichi: “Kuwonjezera chinthu china pa china kuti ndidziwe mmene zinthu zimachitikira,
28 While my soul was still searching but not finding, among a thousand I have found one upright man, but among all these I have not found one such woman.
pamene ine ndinali kufufuzabe koma osapeza kanthu, ndinapeza munthu mmodzi wolungama pakati pa anthu 1,000, koma pakati pawo panalibepo mkazi mmodzi wolungama.
29 Only this have I found: I have discovered that God made men upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Chokhacho chimene ndinachipeza ndi ichi: Mulungu analenga munthu, anamupatsa mtima wolungama, koma anthu anatsatira njira zawozawo zambirimbiri.”
