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!
Mana kaka lwangʼni motho miyo gima dungʼ mangʼwe ngʼar bedo gi tik marach, e kaka miriambo matin ketho rieko kod luor.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Ngʼat mariek timo timbe mabeyo, to ngʼat mofuwo timo timbe maricho.
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.”
Fupe nenore anena kata kowuotho e yo, kendo ji duto manene ongʼeyo ni ofuwo.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
Ka ruoth okecho kodi, to kik iwe tiji mitiyono; nimar kibolori to ruoth nyalo ngʼwononi kuom kethogi mangʼeny.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
Nitie richo ma aseneno e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ, ketho moro mawuok kuom jatelo:
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
Joma ofuwo imiyo tije madongo dongo, to jo-mwandu to iketo e mago matindo.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Aseneno wasumbini e ngʼe farese, to jotelo wuotho gi tiendgi ka wasumbini.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
Ngʼama kunyo bur matut nyalo lwar e iye; to ngʼama muko kor ot thuol nyalo kayo.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Ngʼama kunyo kite inyalo hiny gi kitego; to ngʼama baro yien inyalo hiny gi yien.
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.
Ka le dik kendo lewe ok opiagi, to nyaka oti kode gi teko mathoth eka obar yien, kuom mano chan gik moko chon kapod ok itimo.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Ka thuol okecho kapok oboye, to koro onge ohala mar ja-bocho.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Weche moa e dho ngʼat man-gi rieko nigi ngʼwono, to ngʼama ofuwo tiekore mana gi wechene owuon.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Ngʼama ofuwo chako gi weche mag fuwo; to gikone ni gin weche neko,
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
kendo wechege ngʼeny maonge tiende. Onge ngʼama ongʼeyo gima biro timorene kiny, koro en ngʼa manyalo nyise gima biro timorene bangʼ thone?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
Ngʼama ofuwo nyagore gi tich matek ma ok konye; nimar kata kuma oaye ok onyal paro.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
Okwongʼ piny ma ruodhe ne en jatich kendo ma jotende mondo e nyasi gokinyi.
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.
Joma ruodhigo wuok e anywola mar jotelo gin johawi kendo ruodhigigo chiemo e sa mowinjore, mondo giyud teko to ok mondo gimer.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
Ka ngʼato nyap, to kor ode nyaka mukre marieny; to ngʼato ma budho abudha ma ok ti gi lwete, to ode nyaka chwer.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
Chiemo mabeyo miyo ngʼato bedo mamor, kendo divai bende miyo ngʼato winjo maber, to pesa ema miyo ngʼato bedo gi gimoro amora modwaro.
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.
Kik icha ruoth kata mana e pachi, kata kwongʼo ja-mwandu kor kachiena, nikech winyo mafuyo e yamo nyalo kawo wecheni, kendo winyo ma fuyono nyalo terone gima iwacho.
