Ecclesiastes 10
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Yebo-ke lapho oyisithutha ehamba endleleni, ingqondo yakhe iyasilela, uthi kuye wonke uyisithutha.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
Uba umoya wombusi ukuvukela, ungatshiyi indawo yakho, ngoba ukuthobeka kuyathulisa iziphambeko ezinkulu.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
njalo isithutha sandisa amazwi. Umuntu kazi okuzakuba khona; lalokho okuzakuba khona emva kwakhe, ngubani ongamtshela khona?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
20 Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
