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!
Njengoba impukane ezifele phakathi kwamakha ziwenza anuke kubi, kunjalo lobuwula obuncinyane bugabhela ukuhlakanipha lodumo.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Inhliziyo yolungileyo ikhungathekela ekulungeni, kodwa inhliziyo yesiwula ikhungathekela ebubini.
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.”
Loba ehamba nje emgwaqweni oyisiwula kalangqondo, utshengisa loba ngubani ubuphukuphuku bakhe.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
Aluba umbusi ekuthukuthelela, ungasuki esikhundleni sakho; ukuthobeka kungathoba umonakalo obungaba khona.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
Bukhona ububi esengibubonile ngaphansi kwelanga, kuliphutha elenziwa ngumbusi:
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
Iziwula ziphakanyiselwa ezikhundleni ezinengi eziphezulu, kodwa abanothileyo belezikhundla eziphansi.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Sengibone izichaka zigade amabhiza, kuthi amakhosana ahambe ngezinyawo njengezichaka.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
Lowo ogebha umgodi angawela kuwo; odiliza umduli angalunywa yinyoka.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Oqhekeza amatshe angalinyazwa yiwo; obanda inkuni angaba sengozini yazo.
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.
Lapho ihloka libuthundu ubukhali balo bungalolwanga, kudingeka amandla amanengi kodwa ubungcitshi buyaphumelelisa.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Nxa inyoka ihle ilume ingakalunjwa, umlumbi kaselanzuzo.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Amazwi aphuma emlonyeni wesihlakaniphi amnandi, kodwa isiwula sichithwa yizindebe zaso.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Ekuqaleni amazwi aso ayibuwula; ekucineni aseyikuwumana okubi
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
njalo isiwula sanda ngamazwi. Kakho okwaziyo okuzayo ngubani ongamazisa okuzakwenzakala ngemva kwakhe na?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
Umtshikatshika wesiwula uyasidinisa; kasiyazi indlela eya edolobheni.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
Maye kuwe, wena lizwe onkosi yalo yayiyisichaka, amakhosana akho azitika ngamadili ekuseni.
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.
Ubusisiwe wena, wena lizwe onkosi yalo izalwa esikhosini amakhosana alo adla ngezikhathi eziqondileyo edlela ukuqina hatshi ukudakwa.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
Nxa indoda ilivila intungo ziyabhensa; nxa izandla zayo ziyekethisa indlu iyavuza.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
Idili lenzelwa ukujabula, lewayini lenza impilo ibe mnandi, kodwa imali yiyo impendulo yakho konke.
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.
Ungayithuki inkosi lasemicabangweni yakho, loba uqalekise abanothileyo loba usendlini yakho yokulala, ngoba mhlawumbe inyoni yasemoyeni ingawathwala amazwi akho, loba inyoni ephaphayo ingayabika okutshoyo.
