Ecclesiastes 9
1 So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.
Awo ne ndowooza ku ebyo, ne nzuula ng’omutuukirivu n’omugezi bye bakola biri mu mukono gwa Katonda; naye tewali muntu n’omu amanyi obanga kwagalibwa oba kukyayibwa bye bimulindiridde.
2 It is the same for all: There is a common fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as it is for the one who makes a vow, so it is for the one who refuses to take a vow.
Omutuukirivu n’omwonoonyi, omulungi n’omubi, omuyonjo n’omujama, abo abawaayo ssaddaaka n’abo abatagiwaayo bonna gye bagenda y’emu. Nga bwe kiri eri omuntu omulungi, era bwe kiri n’eri omwonoonyi; Nga bwe kiri eri abo abalayira, era bwe kiri n’eri abo abatya okulayira.
3 This is an evil in everything that is done under the sun: There is one fate for everyone. Furthermore, the hearts of men are full of evil and madness while they are alive, and afterward they join the dead.
Bonna ekibalindiridde kimu; kano ke kabi akabeera wansi w’enjuba. Ate emitima gy’abantu mu bulamu buno giraluse gijjudde ebibi, bayaayaanira buli kimu; n’oluvannyuma ne bakka emagombe eri bannaabwe.
4 There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.
Naye omuntu omulamu aba n’essuubi, wadde embwa ennamu esinga empologoma enfu!
5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.
Kubanga buli kiramu kimanya nga kya kufa, naye abafu tebaliiko kye bamanyi: tebakyagasa wadde okujjukirwa.
6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already vanished, and they will never again have a share in all that is done under the sun.
Okwagala kwabwe, n’obukyayi bwabwe, n’obuggya bwabwe nga bizikiridde; nga tebakyetaba mu ebyo byonna ebikolebwa wansi w’enjuba.
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:
Genda olye emmere yo ng’osanyuka, onywe ne wayini wo nga weeyagala; kubanga Katonda asiimye ky’okola.
8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.
Yambalanga engoye ennyonjo, era weesiigenga n’ebyakaloosa.
9 Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.
Ssanyukanga ne mukyala wo gw’oyagala ennaku zo zonna, mu bulamu buno obutaliimu, Katonda bw’akuwadde wansi w’enjuba, kubanga ekyo gwe mugabo gwo mu kutegana kwo kw’oteganamu wansi w’enjuba.
10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. (Sheol h7585)
Buli omukono gwo kye gugenda okukola, kikole n’amaanyi go gonna; kubanga teri mulimu wadde okulowooza, oba okutegeera wadde amagezi emagombe gy’olaga. (Sheol h7585)
11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happen to all.
Ate nalaba nga wansi w’enjuba, ng’ow’embiro ennyingi si y’awangula mu mpaka, era ne kirimaanyi si y’awangula olutalo, ng’ate bakalimagezi bonna si be baatiikirira; wabula ng’omukisa gukwata bukwasi oyo aba aliwo mu kifo ekituufu ne mu kiseera ekituufu.
12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.
Kubanga omuntu tamanya kinaamubaako. Ng’ekyenyanja bwe kikwatibwa mu muyonjo, oba ennyonyi nga bw’egwa ku mutego, n’abaana b’omuntu bwe batyo bwe beesanga mu biseera eby’akabi, ebibatuukako nga tebabyetegekedde.
13 I have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
Era ekirala kye nalaba ekyampuniikiriza ennyo kye kino:
14 There was a small city with few men. A mighty king came against it, surrounded it, and built large siege ramps against it.
waaliwo akabuga nga kalimu abantu batono ddala, kabaka ow’amaanyi n’ajja n’akazingiza n’akazimbako ekigo ekinene.
15 Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
Mu kabuga ako mwalimu omusajja omugezi, omwavu, ng’amanyi eky’okukola okuwonya akabuga ako, bw’atyo mu magezi ge ne kanunulwa. Naye nno ne wabulawo amujjukira.
16 And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”
Awo ne ndaba nti newaakubadde ng’amagezi gasinga amaanyi, naye ow’amagezi bw’aba omwavu, anyoomebwa, ne ky’ayogera tekissibwako mwoyo.
17 The calm words of the wise are heeded over the shouts of a ruler among fools.
Naye ne bwe kiba kityo, ebigambo eby’ekimpowooze ebiva mu kamwa k’omugezi bissibwako omwoyo, okusinga okuleekaana kw’omufuzi w’abasirusiru.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Amagezi gasinga ebyokulwanyisa mu lutalo, naye omwonoonyi omu azikiriza ebirungi bingi.
