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.
Loang misa uh ku in oru sufa nufon soko ke mwe akmusra keng in kolukla fohlo, ouinge ouiya na lalfon srisrik se ku in akkolukyela lalmwetmet na lulap.
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.
Sie mwet lalmwetmet el pahlana in oru ma suwohs, ac sie mwet lalfon el pahla in oru ma sutuu.
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.
Lalfon lal uh ac kalem sin mwet nukewa, finne mwetsac ma fufahsryesr inkanek uh elos ac ku pac in akilen.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
Mwet kol lom fin kasrkusrakak sum, nimet kom sisla orekma lom an, mweyen muteng uh ku in akmisye inse toasr na yohk.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Pa inge sie ouiya sesuwos nga konauk fin faclu — ouiya se inge ma orek sin mwet kol.
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
Itukyang kunokon fulat nu sin mwet lalfon, a mwet kasrup elos oru orekma pusisel.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
Nga liye tari ke mwet kohs uh kasrusr fin horse, ac mwet leum elos fahsrna oana mwet kohs uh.
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].
Kom fin pukanak sie luf, kom ac ku in putatyang nu loac. Kom fin fokolla sie pot, soko serpent in pot uh ac ku in ngaliskomi.
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.
Kom fin orekma ke sie acn in pukpuk eot, kom ku na in ngalyak kac. Kom fin lip etong, kom ku in ongoiya kac.
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.
Tuhla lom ah fin safit ac kom tia tamla, kom ac kemkatu ke orekmakinya. Mwet lalmwetmet uh elos motkwala arulana wo meet, na saflaiya uh wo.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Kom finne etu in akmunaye soko serpent, ac wangin sripa kom fin fuhlela in ngaliskomi meet.
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].
Kas lun sie mwet lalmwetmet ac oru mwet uh in akfulatyal, a kas lun sie mwet lalfon sifacna kunausulla.
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.
El mutawauk ke kaskas lusrongten, na saflaiya el arulana kaskas wel.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Sie mwet lalfon el sramsram loeloes. Wangin sie mwet etu lah mea ac sikyak toko, ac wangin sie mwet ku in fahkma lah mea ac sikyak tukun kut misa.
15 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
Sie mwet su sifacna aktotoyella ke orekma upalana lal, el oana mwet lalfon se su nukanla innek nu lohm sel ah.
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.
Tokosra lun sie mutunfacl fin sie mwet fusr, ac mwet kol we fin orek kufwa ke fong fon, facl sac ac fah sun ongoiya.
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.
Tusruktu sie tokosra fin ma ke sou leum, ac mwet kol elos mongo in akkeye manolos ac sifacna liyalosyang in tia sruhi, na mutunfacl sac fah insewowo.
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].
Mwet se fin alsrangesr in onala fahsu ke lohm sel, na ac wohn, ac lohm sac ac musalla.
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].
Mwe mongo uh akenganye mwet uh, ac wain uh akpwaryalos, tusruktu ma inge kewa tia ku in orek fin wangin mani.
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].
Nimet akkolukye tokosra finne in nunak lom, ac nimet akkolukye mwet kasrup finne infukil in motul sum sifacna. Sie won sohksok ku in tafwela kas inge nu selos.
