Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking odour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
Impukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amagcobo omthaki; ubuthutha obuncinyane benza njalo kohloniphekayo ngenxa yenhlakanipho lodumo.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart is at his left.
Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo ingakwesokunene sakhe, kodwa inhliziyo yesithutha ingakwesokhohlo saso.
3 Also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
Yebo-ke lapho oyisithutha ehamba endleleni, ingqondo yakhe iyasilela, uthi kuye wonke uyisithutha.
4 If the spirit of the ruler riseth against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
Uba umoya wombusi ukuvukela, ungatshiyi indawo yakho, ngoba ukuthobeka kuyathulisa iziphambeko ezinkulu.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
Kulobubi engibubone ngaphansi kwelanga, njengesiphosiso esiphuma ebusweni bombusi:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
Ubuwula bubekwa ezindaweni eziphakemeyo kakhulu, labanothileyo bahlala endaweni ephansi.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
Ngibonile izigqili zigade amabhiza, leziphathamandla zihamba njengezigqili emhlabeni.
8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoever breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
Ogebha umgodi uzawela kuwo; lodiliza umthangala, inyoka izamluma.
9 Whoever removeth stones shall be hurt by them; and he that cutteth wood shall be endangered by it.
Osusa amatshe uzalinyazwa yiwo; obanda izigodo uzakuba sengozini ngazo.
10 If the iron is blunt, and he doth not whet the edge, then must he use more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
Uba insimbi ibuthundu njalo engaloli ubukhali, ngakho ufanele engezelele amandla; kodwa inhlakanipho yinhle ukulungisa.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
Uba inyoka iluma kungelakulunjwa, kakulanzuzo kungcitshi yolimi.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Amazwi omlomo ohlakaniphileyo alomusa, kodwa indebe zesithutha ziyasiginya.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Ukuqala kwamazwi omlomo waso kuyibuthutha, lokucina kwenkulumo yaso kuyibuhlanya obubi,
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what 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 labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
Umtshikatshika wesithuthandini uyasidinisa, ngoba kasazi ukuya emzini.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Maye kuwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho ingumntwana, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ekuseni!
17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Ubusisiwe, lizwe, onkosi yakho iyindodana yabakhulu, leziphathamandla zakho zidla ngesikhathi esifaneleyo, zidlela ukuqina, hatshi ukudakwa.
18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
Ngobuvila obukhulu intungo ziyabhensa, langokuyekethisa izandla indlu iyanethela.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Idili lenzelwa uhleko, lewayini lithokozisa impilo; kodwa imali iyimpendulo yakho konke.
20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Lemcabangweni wakho ungayithuki inkosi, lekamelweni lakho lokulala ungamthuki onothileyo; ngoba inyoni yamazulu izathwala ilizwi, lokulamaphiko kubike udaba.
