Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
Monga ntchentche zakufa zimayika fungo loyipa mʼmafuta onunkhira, choncho kupusa pangʼono kumawononganso nzeru ndi ulemu.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Mtima wa munthu wanzeru umamutsogolera bwino, koma mtima wa munthu wopusa umamusocheretsa.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
Chitsiru ngakhale chikamayenda mu msewu, zochita zake ndi zopanda nzeru ndipo chimaonetsa aliyense kuti icho ndi chitsirudi.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
Ngati wolamulira akukwiyira, usachoke pa ntchito yako; kufatsa kumakonza zolakwa zazikulu.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
Pali choyipa chimene ndinachiona pansi pano, kulakwitsa kumene kumachokera kwa wolamulira:
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
Zitsiru amazipatsa ntchito zambiri zapamwamba, pamene anthu olemera amawapatsa ntchito zotsika.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Ndaona akapolo atakwera pa akavalo, pamene akalonga akuyenda pansi ngati akapolo.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
Amene amakumba dzenje adzagwamo yekha; amene amabowola khoma adzalumidwa ndi njoka.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Amene amaphwanya miyala adzapwetekedwa ndi miyalayo; amene amawaza nkhuni adzapwetekedwa nazo.
10 If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
Ngati nkhwangwa ili yobuntha yosanoledwa, pamafunika mphamvu zambiri potema, koma luso limabweretsa chipambano.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Nʼkopanda phindu kudziwa kuseweretsa njoka ngati njokayo yakuluma kale.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Mawu a pakamwa pa munthu wanzeru ndi okondweretsa, koma chitsiru chidzawonongedwa ndi milomo yake yomwe.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Chitsiru chimayamba ndi mawu opusa; potsiriza pake zoyankhula zake ndi zamisala
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
ndipo chitsiru chimachulukitsa mawu. Palibe amene amadziwa zimene zikubwera mʼtsogolo, ndani angamuwuze zomwe zidzachitika iye akadzafa?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
Chitsiru chimatopa msanga ndi ntchito yochepa; ndipo sichikhala ndi mphamvu zobwererera ku mudzi.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
Tsoka kwa iwe, iwe dziko ngati mfumu yako ikali mwana, ndipo atsogoleri ako amakhala pa madyerero mmamawa.
17 Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Wodala iwe, iwe dziko ngati mfumu yako ndi mwana wolemekezeka ndipo atsogoleri ako amadya pa nthawi yake, kuti apeze mphamvu osati kuti aledzere.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
Ngati munthu ndi waulesi, denga lake limaloshoka; ngati manja ake ndi alobodo nyumba yake imadontha.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
Phwando ndi lokondweretsa anthu, ndipo vinyo ndi wosangalatsa moyo, koma ndalama ndi yankho la chilichonse.
20 Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
Usanyoze mfumu ngakhale mu mtima mwako, kapena kutukwana munthu wachuma mʼchipinda chako, pakuti mbalame yamlengalenga itha kutenga mawu ako nʼkukafotokoza zomwe wanena.
