< Ecclesiastes 10 >

1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
Gẹ́gẹ́ bí òkú eṣinṣin tí ń fún òróró ìkunra ní òórùn búburú, bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni òmùgọ̀ díẹ̀ ṣe ń bo ọgbọ́n àti ọlá mọ́lẹ̀.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Ọkàn ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ṣí sí ohun tí ó tọ̀nà, ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn òmùgọ̀ sí ohun tí kò dára.
3 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Kódà bí ó ti ṣe ń rìn láàrín ọ̀nà, òmùgọ̀ kò ní ọgbọ́n a sì máa fihan gbogbo ènìyàn bí ó ti gọ̀ tó.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
Bí ìbínú alákòóso bá dìde lòdì sí ọ, ma ṣe fi ààyè rẹ sílẹ̀; ìdákẹ́ jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́ le è tú àṣìṣe ńlá.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
Ohun ibi kan wà tí mo ti rí lábẹ́ oòrùn, irú àṣìṣe tí ó dìde láti ọ̀dọ̀ alákòóso.
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
A gbé aṣiwèrè sí ọ̀pọ̀ ipò tí ó ga jùlọ, nígbà tí ọlọ́rọ̀ gba àwọn ààyè tí ó kéré jùlọ.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
Mo ti rí ẹrú lórí ẹṣin, nígbà tí ọmọ-aládé ń fi ẹsẹ̀ rìn bí ẹrú.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gbẹ́ kòtò, ó le è ṣubú sínú rẹ̀; ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá la inú ògiri, ejò le è ṣán an.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gbe òkúta le è ní ìpalára láti ipasẹ̀ wọn; ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá la ìtì igi le è ní ìpalára láti ipasẹ̀ wọn.
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.
Bí àáké bá kú tí ẹ̀gbẹ́ rẹ̀ kò sì sí ní pípọ́n; yóò nílò agbára púpọ̀ ṣùgbọ́n ọgbọ́n orí ni yóò mú àṣeyọrí wá.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
Bí ejò bá ṣán ni kí a tó lo oògùn rẹ̀, kò sí èrè kankan fún olóògùn rẹ̀.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
Ọ̀rọ̀ tí ó wá láti ẹnu ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ní oore-ọ̀fẹ́ ṣùgbọ́n ètè òmùgọ̀ fúnra rẹ̀ ni yóò parun.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ jẹ́ òmùgọ̀; ìparí rẹ̀ sì jẹ́ ìsínwín búburú.
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?
Wèrè a sì máa ṣàfikún ọ̀rọ̀. Kò sí ẹni tí ó mọ ohun tí ó ń bọ̀ ta ni ó le è sọ fún un ohun tí yóò ṣẹlẹ̀ lẹ́yìn rẹ̀?
15 The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
Iṣẹ́ aṣiwèrè a máa dá a lágara kò sì mọ ojú ọ̀nà sí ìlú.
16 Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
Ègbé ni fún ọ, ìwọ ilẹ̀ tí ọba ń ṣe ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ àti tí àwọn ọmọ-aládé ń ṣe àsè ní òwúrọ̀.
17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
Ìbùkún ni fún ọ, ìwọ ilẹ̀ èyí tí ọba rẹ̀ jẹ́ ọmọ ọlọ́lá, àti tí àwọn ọmọ-aládé ń jẹun ní àsìkò tí ó yẹ, fún ìlera, tí kì í ṣe fún ìmutípara.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
Bí ènìyàn bá ń lọ́ra, àjà ilé a máa jì bí ọwọ́ rẹ̀ bá ń ṣe ọ̀lẹ, ilé a máa jó.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
Ẹ̀rín rínrín ni a ṣe àsè fún, wáìnì a máa mú ayé dùn, ṣùgbọ́n owó ni ìdáhùn sí ohun gbogbo.
20 Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
Ma ṣe bú ọba, kódà nínú èrò rẹ, tàbí kí o ṣépè fún ọlọ́rọ̀ ní ibi ibùsùn rẹ, nítorí pé ẹyẹ ojú ọ̀run le è gbé ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ ẹyẹ tí ó sì ní ìyẹ́ apá le è fi ẹjọ́ ohun tí o sọ sùn.

< Ecclesiastes 10 >