Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
Shittoo urgaaʼaa irra maqaa gaarii wayya; guyyaa dhalootaa irra guyyaa duʼaa wayya.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
Mana cidhaa dhaquu mannaa mana booʼichaa dhaquu wayya; galgalli nama hundaa duʼumaatii; namni lubbuun jiraatu waan kana garaatti haa qabatu.
3 Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Fuulli gaddu waan garaa gammachiisuuf kolfa irra gadda wayya.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
Qalbiin ogeessaa mana booʼichaa jira, qalbiin gowwaa garuu mana gammachuu jira.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
Sirba gowwootaa dhagaʼuu mannaa ifannaa ogeessaa dhaggeeffachuu wayya.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
Kolfi gowwaa akkuma qoraattii xuwwee jalaa xaaxaʼuu ti. Kunis faayidaa hin qabu.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Cunqursaan ogeessa gowwaa godha; mattaʼaanis sammuu nama xureessa.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
Jalqaba waan tokkoo irra dhuma isaa wayya; of tuuluu irras obsa wayya.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Hafuura keetiin aaruuf hin ariifatin; aariin bobaa gowwootaa keessa jiraatii.
10 Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
Ati, “Barri durii maaliif bara kana caale?” hin jedhin; waan kana gaafachuun ogummaa miti.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Ogummaan akkuma dhaalaa waan gaarii dha; warra aduu arganiifis buʼaa qaba.
12 For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
Akkuma maallaqni daʼoo taʼe sana ogummaanis daʼoo dha; faayidaan beekumsaa garuu kana: innis ogummaan warra ishee qabaniif jireenya kennuu ishee ti.
13 Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Waan Waaqni hojjete mee ilaali: Waan inni jalʼise eenyutu qajeelchuu dandaʼa?
14 On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
Yommuu yeroon gaarii taʼutti gammadi; yommuu yeroon hammaatu garuu itti yaadi: Waaqni isa tokko hojjete isa kaanis hojjeteera. Kanaafuu namni egeree isaa beekuu hin dandaʼu.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
Ani jireenya koo kan faayidaa hin qabne kana keessatti waan kana lachuu argeera; kunis: Qajeelaan qajeelummaa isaatiin baduu isaatii fi hamaan immoo hammina isaatiin bara dheeraa jiraachuu isaa ti.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Ati akka malee qajeelaa hin taʼin; yookaan akka malee ogeessa hin taʼin; maaliif of galaafatta?
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Ati akka malee hamaa hin taʼin; gowwaas hin taʼin; maaliif utuu yeroon kee hin gaʼin duuta?
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
Utuu isa kaan gad hin dhiisin waan tokko qabaachuun gaarii dha. Namni Waaqa sodaatu waan hundaan ni milkaaʼa.
19 Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Ogummaan, bulchitoota magaalaa tokko keessa jiran kudhan caalaa nama ogeessa tokko humna qabeessa gooti.
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
Namni qajeelaan waan qajeelaa malee cubbuu tokko illee hin hojjenne lafa irra hin jiru.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Waan namni jedhu hunda hin dhaggeeffatin; yoo kana goote utuu hojjetaan kee si abaaruu dhageessaa;
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
ati mataan kee iyyuu yeroo baayʼee namoota kaan akka abaarte garaan kee beekaatii.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Ani waan kana hunda ogummaadhaanan qoradhee, “Ani ogeessan taʼa” nan jedhe. Wanni kun garuu narraa fagoo ture.
24 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
Wanti jiru hundi fagoo dha; gad fagoo dha; eenyutu qoratee bira gaʼuu dandaʼa?
25 Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
Kanaafuu ani gara ogummaa fi maalummaa wantootaa hubachuutti, sakattaʼuutti, qorachuutti akkasumas hammina gowwummaatii fi maraatummaa gowwummaa hubachuutti qalbii koo nan deebifadhe.
26 And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
Ani waan duʼa caalaa hadhaaʼuu nan arge; kunis: dubartii kiyyoo taate, kan yaadni ishee kiyyoo, harki ishee immoo foncaa taʼee dha. Namni Waaqa gammachiisu ishee jalaa ni baʼa; cubbamaan garuu isheedhaan qabama.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
Lallabaan akkana jedha; “Kunoo wanni ani qoradhee bira gaʼe kanaa dha: “Mala isaa beekuuf waan tokko fuudhanii waan kaanitti dabaluu dha;
28 What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
ani ammas nan sakattaʼe; garuu hin arganne. Ani kuma keessaa dhiira qajeelaa tokko nan argadhe; hunduma isaanii keessaa garuu dubartii qajeeltuu tokko iyyuu hin arganne.
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
Kunoo ani waan kana qofa nan argadhe: Waaqni qajeeltota godhee ilmaan namaa uume; namoonni garuu mala baayʼee barbaacha deeman.”
