Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odour; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
Nudzodzoe kukuwo ana amiʋeʋĩ si ʋẽna lĩlĩlĩ la ƒe atukpa blibo ɖeka gɔ̃ hã naʋẽ kũu! Ɛ̃, vodada sue aɖe ate ŋu agblẽ nunya geɖe kple bubu gã me.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
Nunyala ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nyui ke bometsila ƒe dzi nana wòwɔa nu vɔ̃.
3 Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
Àte ŋu adze si bometsila le ale si wòle zɔzɔm le ablɔ dzi la me!
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offences to rest.
Ne wò amegã do dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋuwò la, mègadzo le egbɔ o, elabena blewu tsia dɔmedzoe helĩhelĩ nu.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
Megade dzesi nu vɔ̃ɖi aɖe tso fiawo kple dziɖulawo ŋu esi melé ŋku ɖe nuwo ƒe yiyi me le xexea me ŋu.
6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
Mekpɔe be wona ŋusẽ gã bometsilawo hetsɔ wo ɖo amewo nu eye wometsɔ bubuteƒe na kesinɔtɔwo abe ale si dze ene o.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
Gawu la, mekpɔ subɔlawo wonɔ sɔ dom le esime fiaviŋutsuwo nɔ afɔ zɔm abe subɔlawo ene!
8 He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
Ame si ɖea vudo la, eyae gena ɖe eme. Ame si gbãa gli toa eme la, eyae da ɖuna.
9 Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
Ame si gbãa kpe la, eyae kpe wɔa nuvevii! Ame si dzea nake la, eyae fia sina!
10 If the axe is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
Ame si le fia maɖamaɖa ŋu dɔ wɔm la, wɔa eƒe ŋusẽ geɖe ŋu dɔ. Dze nunya eye nànyre fia la nyuie.
11 If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
Ne da ɖu ame hafi wosa gbe de daa la, ekema gbesala mewɔ dɔ nyui aɖeke o.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
Nya si tso nunyala ƒe nu me nyea amenuvenya, ke bometsila ƒe nuyiwo gblẽa nu le eya ŋutɔ ŋu.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Eƒe nyawo ƒe gɔmedzedze nyea numanyamanya eye eƒe nyawo ƒe nuwuwu nyea tsukuku vɔ̃ɖi.
14 A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
Bometsila nyaa nu sia nu tso etsɔ si gbɔna la ŋu eye wòƒoa nu tso nu si wònya la ŋu tsitotsito! Ke ame ka tututu ate ŋu anya nu si le dzɔdzɔ ge?
15 The labour of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
Dɔ sue aɖe ko wɔwɔ nana ɖeɖi tea eŋu ale gbegbe be ŋusẽ meganɔa eŋu hena dua me yiyi o.
16 Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
Babaa na dukɔ si ƒe fia nye ɖevi eye eƒe kplɔlawo mua aha ŋdi kanya gbe sia gbe.
17 Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Woayra dukɔ si ƒe fia nye bubume, eƒe kplɔlawo wɔa dɔ sesĩe hafi ɖua nu eye wonoa nu bena woatsɔ ado ŋusẽ wo ɖokuiwo hena dɔ si le wo ŋgɔ la wɔwɔ.
18 By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
Kuviawɔwɔ nana xɔ ƒe daɖedziwo nyena ɖe eme, eye alɔgblɔlɔwɔwɔ nana xɔ ɖuɖuna.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
Nuɖuɖu hea nukoko vanɛ, wain hea dzidzɔ vanɛ, eye gae dia nu sia nu kpɔna.
20 Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom, for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
Mègado ɖiŋu na fia la le wò susu me ke gɔ̃ hã o; mègaƒo fi de kesinɔtɔ le wò xɔ gã me ke gɔ̃ hã o, elabena xevi sue aɖe agblɔ nu si nègblɔ tso wo ŋu la na wo.
