Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies, cause to stink [and] ferment, the oil of the perfumer, —More costly than wisdom or honour, is a little folly.
Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
2 The sense of the wise, is on his right hand, —But, the sense of the dullard, on his left:
Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
3 Yea, even by the way, as the foolish man walketh along, his sense faileth him—and he telleth everyone that, foolish, is he!
Yebo-ke lapho oyisithutha ehamba endleleni, ingqondo yakhe iyasilela, uthi kuye wonke uyisithutha.
4 If, the spirit of a ruler, riseth up against thee, thy place, do not leave, for gentleness, pacifieth such as have greatly erred.
Uba umoya wombusi ukuvukela, ungatshiyi indawo yakho, ngoba ukuthobeka kuyathulisa iziphambeko ezinkulu.
5 Here was a misfortune I had seen under the sun, —a veritable mistake that was going forth from the presence of one who had power:
Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
6 Folly placed in great dignity, —while, the rich, in a low place, took their seat:
Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
7 I had seen, servants, upon horses, —and, rulers, walking like servants, on the ground.
Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
8 He that diggeth a pit, thereinto, may fall, —and, he that breaketh through a hedge, there may bite him a serpent.
Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
9 He that removeth stones, may be hurt therewith, —and he that cleaveth wood, may be endangered thereby.
Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
10 If, blunt, be the iron, and, himself, hath not sharpened, the edge, then, much force, must he apply, —but, an advantage for giving success, is wisdom.
Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
11 If a serpent will bite, unless he is charmed, then there is nothing better for him that owneth a tongue.
Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth, are pleasant, —but, the lips of a dullard, will swallow him up:
Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth, is folly, —but, the latter end of his speech, is mischievous madness.
Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
14 Yet, a foolish man, multiplieth words, —[though] no man knoweth that which hath been, 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 toil of dullards, shall weary a man, that he knoweth not how to go into the city.
Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
16 Alas! for thee, O land, when thy king is a boy, —and, thy rulers, in the morning, do eat:
Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
17 How happy art thou, O land, when thy king is a son of nobles, —and, thy rulers, in season, do eat, for strength, and not for debauchery.
Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
18 By two lazy arms, the framework sinketh in, —and, by the hanging down of the hands, the house may leak.
Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
19 Merrily people make bread, and, wine, gladdeneth life, —but, money, answereth all things.
Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
20 Even in thy thought, do not revile, the king, nor, within thy bed-chambers, revile thou the rich, —for, a bird of the heavens, might carry the voice, yea, an owner of wings, might tell the matter.
Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
