Ecclesiastes 10
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
Akkuma tisiisni duute tokko shittoo ajeessitu sana gowwummaan xinnoon ogummaa fi ulfina balleessa.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Yaadni ogeessaa karaa mirgaa, yaadni gowwaa immoo karaa bitaa jira.
3 Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Gowwaan yoo karaa deemu illee qalbii hin qabu; akka gowwaa taʼes nama hundatti argisiisa.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
Yoo dheekkamsi bulchaa tokkoo sitti hammaate, ati iddoo kee gad hin dhiisin; tasgabbaaʼuun dogoggora guddaa hambisuu dandaʼaatii.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
Hamminni ani aduudhaa gaditti arge tokko jira; kunis dogoggora bulchaan tokko uumuu dha.
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
Utuma badhaadhonni iddoo gad aanu qabatanii jiranuu, gowwoonni iddoo ulfinaa qabatu.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
Ani utuma ilmaan moototaa akka garbootaa miillaan deemanii garboonni immoo fardaan utuu deemanii nan arge.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
Namni boolla qotu kam iyyuu ofuma isaatii keessa buʼa; nama dallaa cabsee keessaan baʼu kam iyyuu bofatu idda.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
Namni dhagaa baasu kam iyyuu dhagaa sanaan miidhamuu dandaʼa; namni jirma baqaqsu hundinuus jirmuma sanaan miidhama.
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.
Qottoon doomee afaan isaa yoo hin qaramin, humna guddaa barbaachisa; ogummaan garuu milkaaʼinna fida.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
Bofti tokko utuu hin raateffamin yoo nama idde, namichi bofa raatessu sun homaa hin argatu.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
Dubbiin afaan ogeessaatii baʼu ulfina qaba; namni gowwaan immoo hidhii ofii isaatiin bada.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
Dubbiin isaa jalqabatti gowwummaa dha; dhuma irratti garuu maraatummaa hamaa dha;
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?
namni gowwaan dubbii baayʼisa. Namni tokko iyyuu waan dhufuuf jiru hin beeku; eenyutu waan isa duubaan taʼu isatti himuu dandaʼa?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
Dadhabbiin gowwaa isuma butuchiti; inni karaa gara magaalaatti geessu hin beeku.
16 Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Yaa biyya mootiin kee mucaa turee, kan ilmaan moototaa kee ganamaan nyaatanii dhugan siif wayyoo.
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.
Yaa biyya mootiin kee sanyii beekamaa irraa dhalate, kan ilmaan moototaa utuu machaaʼuuf hin taʼin, jabina argachuuf jedhanii yeroo malutti nyaatanii dhugan, ati eebbifamtuu dha.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
Dhibaaʼummaan, mana duuffisa; harki hin hojjennes mana dhimmisiisa.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
Cidhi kolfaaf qopheeffama; daadhiin wayiniis jireenya gammachiisa; maallaqni immoo deebii waan hundaa ti.
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.
Sababii simbirri samii dubbii kee geessituuf, yookaan simbirri barrisaa jirtu dhaqxee waan ati jettu himtuuf, ati yaada kee keessatti mootii hin arrabsin; yookaan kutaa hirribaa keessatti sooressa hin abaarin.
