Ecclesiastes 10
1 [A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
Ijiji nwụrụ anwụ ga-eme ka mmanụ isi ụtọ sie isi ọjọọ. Otu a kwa, nzuzu nta pụrụ ime ka amamihe dị ukwuu ghara inwe nsọpụrụ.
2 If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
Obi onye maara ihe na-eme ka o mee ihe ziri ezi, ma obi onye nzuzu na-eduba ya na mmehie.
3 Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
Ị ga-ama onye nzuzu site nʼije ụkwụ ya, nʼihi na o maghị ihe. Ọ bụladị onye ọbụla na-achọpụta onye nzuzu ọsịịsọ.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
Ọ bụrụ na iwe onye ọchịchị ebilie megide gị, ahapụla ọnọdụ gị, nʼihi na mmụọ dị nwayọọ ga-eme ka mmehie ukwu dị iche iche dajụọ.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Ọ dịkwa ihe ọjọọ ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ, dịka njehie nke ndị eze na ndị na-achị achị na-ejehie.
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
Ahụrụ m ka ndị nzuzu na-enweta ọkwa dị elu, ma ndị ọgaranya adịghị enweta ọnọdụ ruuru ha.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
Ahụla m ka ohu na-agba ịnyịnya, ma ụmụ eze ji ụkwụ na-aga dịka ụmụ ohu.
8 [It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
Onye gwuru olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya! Onye na-etida mgbidi ka agwọ ga-atagbu.
9 If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
Onye na-arụ ọrụ nʼebe a na-awa nkume ka nkume ga-adakwasị. Onye na-awa nkụ nọ nʼize ndụ site na ha.
10 If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
Ọ bụrụ na anyụike adịghị nkọ, ọ bụrụkwa na-amụghị ihu ya amụ, a ga-etinye ike karịa, ma ịma eme ihe na-eme ka ihe gazie agazi.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Ọ bụrụ na agwọ ataa mmadụ tupu e kechie ya ọnụ, ọ dịkwaghị uru ọ bara na e kechiri ya ọnụ.
12 Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
Okwu onye maara ihe na-ejupụta nʼamara, ma okwu onye nzuzu na-eduba ya nʼịla nʼiyi
13 When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
Nʼihi na mmalite okwu ya bụ nzuzu, ọgwụgwụ okwu ya bụkwa naanị mmebi iwu na ịyị ara.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Onye nzuzu na-ekwu ọtụtụ okwu. Ma o nweghị onye ma ihe na-aga ime, onye pụrụ ịgwa ya ihe gaje ime mgbe ọ nwụrụ?
15 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
Ọrụ nke ndị nzuzu na-agwụ ya ike, ha makwaghị ụzọ ijeru obodo.
16 Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
Ahụhụ ga-adịrị ala nke eze ya bụ nwantakịrị, nke ndị na-achị achị bụ ndị na-akpọ oriri nʼụtụtụ.
17 [But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
Ngọzị na-adịrị ala ahụ nke eze ya bụ onye a na-asọpụrụ, nke ụmụ eze ya na-eri ihe mgbe o kwesiri nʼihi inweta ike, ọ bụghị maka ịṅụbiga mmanya oke.
18 Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
Ọ bụ umengwụ na-eme ka ụlọ hie mmiri; ọ bụkwa umengwụ na-eme ka elu ụlọ malite ize eze.
19 Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
Ịkpọ oriri na-eweta ọnụ ọchị, mmanya na-enye obi ụtọ, ma ego bụ ọsịsa nye ihe niile.
20 Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
Akọchala eze, ọ bụladị nʼechiche obi gị; maọbụ bụọ ọgaranya ọnụ nʼime ụlọ ndina gị, nʼihi na anụ ufe nọ nʼelu nwere ike buru okwu gị nwa nnụnụ nwere nku ga-akọ ihe i kwuru.
