Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
2 A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; but a fool's understanding at his left.
Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
3 Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
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 gentleness allayeth 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, like an error which proceedeth from a ruler:
Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
6 Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.
Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
9 Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby.
Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
10 If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength; but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
11 If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then the charmer hath no advantage.
Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is grievous madness.
Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
14 A fool also multiplieth words; yet man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
njalo isithutha sandisa amazwi. Umuntu kazi okuzakuba khona; lalokho okuzakuba khona emva kwakhe, ngubani ongamtshela khona?
15 The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, and thy princes feast in the morning!
Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
17 Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a free man, and thy princes eat in due season, in strength, and not in drunkenness!
Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
18 By slothfulness the rafters sink in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things.
Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
20 Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber; for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
