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.
Nga ensowera enfu bwe zoonoona akaloosa akawunya obulungi, bwe katyo akasobyo akatono bwe koonoona amagezi n’ekitiibwa.
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.
Omutima gw’omuntu ow’amagezi gumukozesa ekituufu, naye ogw’omusirusiru gumutwala kukola bitasaana.
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.
Ne bw’aba ng’atambula, amanyibwa nga talina magezi, era buli amulaba agamba nti musirusiru.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
Mukama wo bw’akunyiigiranga, tomulaganga busungu; okuddamu n’eggonjebwa kukyusa ekiruyi.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Ekibi ekirala kye nalaba, kye kikwata ku nsobi y’omufuzi:
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
nalaba ng’abasirusiru baweebwa ebifo ebisava, naye ng’abagagga bo baweebwa ebyo ebya wansi.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
Ate nalaba ng’abaddu beebagala embalaasi, songa abalangira batambuza bigere ng’abaddu.
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].
Asima ekinnya alikigwamu, n’oyo amenya ekisenge omusota gulimubojja.
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.
Oyo ayasa amayinja gamulumya, n’oyo ayasa enku zimulumya.
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.
Embazzi bwe tebaako bwogi, n’etewagalwa, agitemya ateekwa okufuba ennyo, naye obumanyirivu bwe buwangula.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Omusota bwe guluma nga tegunnakola bya bufuusa, omufuusa talina kyafunamu.
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].
Ebigambo ebiva mu kamwa k’omuntu ow’amagezi bya muwendo nnyo eri abo ababiwulira, naye akamwa k’omusirusiru kamusuula mu ntata.
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.
Entandikwa y’ebigambo bye nga temuli nsa, ne ku nkomerero yaabyo biba mususa.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Omusirusiru asavuwaza ebigambo. Tewali amanyi birijja, kale ani asobola okumubuulira ebiribaawo oluvannyuma lwe?
15 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
Omusirusiru aterebuka mangu olw’ekitamugendedde bulungi, n’abulwa n’ekkubo erimutwala mu kibuga.
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.
Zikusanze gw’ensi kabaka bw’aba nga yali muddu, nga n’abalangira bakeera kwetamiirira!
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.
Olina omukisa gw’ensi kabaka wo bw’aba nga wa lulyo lulangira, ate nga n’abalangira bo bamanyi ekiseera eky’okuliiramu, olw’okufuna amaanyi so si lwa kutamiira.
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].
Obugayaavu buleetera akasolya k’ennyumba okutonnya, n’emikono egitayagala kukola gireetera ennyumba okutonnya.
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].
Ekijjulo kikolebwa lwa kusanyuka, ne wayini yeeyagaza obulamu, naye ensimbi y’esobola byonna.
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].
Tokolimira kabaka mu mutima gwo newaakubadde okukolimira omugagga mu kisenge kyo, kubanga ennyonyi ey’omu bbanga eyinza okwetikka ebigambo byo nga biwandiikiddwa ku biwaawaatiro byayo n’ebibatuusaako.
