Kohelethu 10
1 O ta ũrĩa ngi nguũ itũmaga maguta manungi wega magĩe na kĩheera kĩuru-rĩ, noguo ũkĩĩgu mũnini ũkomagĩrĩria ũũgĩ na gĩtĩĩo.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
2 Ngoro ya mũndũ ũrĩa mũũgĩ yerekagĩra mwena wa ũrĩo, no ngoro ya mũndũ mũkĩĩgu ĩkeerekera mwena wa ũmotho.
A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 O na rĩrĩa egũthiĩ na njĩra, mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩoragwo nĩ meciiria make, na akoonia mũndũ o wothe ũrĩa arĩ mũkĩĩgu.
Yes also when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 Marakara ma mũndũ ũrĩa wathanaga mangĩarahũka igũrũ rĩaku, ndũkoime harĩa ũrĩ; ũhooreri no ũhoorerie mahĩtia manene.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against you, don’t leave your place; for gentleness lays great offenses to rest.
5 Nĩ harĩ ũndũ mũũru nyonete gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa, na nĩ ihĩtia rĩrĩa riumanaga na mwathi wa andũ:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.
6 Atĩ andũ arĩa akĩĩgu nĩmatũũgagĩrio mũno, nao andũ arĩa itonga makanyiihio.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 Nĩnyonete ngombo igĩthiĩ ihaicĩte mbarathi, nao ariũ a athamaki magathiĩ na magũrũ ta ngombo.
I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
8 Mũndũ ũrĩa wenjaga irima-rĩ, nĩwe ũkaarĩgũa; nake ũrĩa ũtharagia rũthingo nĩkũrũmwo akaarũmwo nĩ nyoka.
He who digs a pit may fall into it; and whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
9 Mũndũ ũrĩa wenjaga mahiga no agerwo ngero nĩmo; nake ũrĩa watũraga ngũ no imũrehere ũgwati.
Whoever carves out stones may be injured by them. Whoever splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 Ithanwa rĩngĩtuuha na rĩage kũnoorwo-rĩ, mũndũ nĩatũmagĩra hinya mũingĩ, no ũũgĩ wa wĩra ũrehaga ũhootani.
If the ax is blunt, and one doesn’t sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but skill brings success.
11 Nyoka ĩngĩrũma mũndũ ĩtanathuuthĩrwo ĩhoorere-rĩ, hatirĩ bata kũrĩ mũmĩthuuthĩri.
If the snake bites before it is charmed, then is there no profit for the charmer’s tongue.
12 Ciugo cia kanua ka mũndũ mũũgĩ nĩ cia ũtugi, no mũndũ mũkĩĩgu aniinagwo nĩ mĩromo yake mwene.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips.
13 Kĩambĩrĩria-inĩ ciugo ciake nĩ cia ũrimũ; na kĩrĩkĩrĩro-inĩ nĩ cia ũgũrũki mũtheri:
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 nake mũndũ mũkĩĩgu no ciugo aingĩhagia. Gũtirĩ mũndũ ũũĩ ũrĩa gũkaahaana, ningĩ nũũ ũngĩmwĩra ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa mageekĩka thuutha wake?
A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him?
15 Wĩra wa mũndũ mũkĩĩgu nĩũmũnogagia; we ndamenyaga njĩra ya gũthiĩ itũũra-inĩ.
The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city.
16 Bũrũri ũrĩa mũthamaki wakuo aarĩ ndungata, na anene akuo marokagĩra kũrĩa o rũciinĩ kaĩ ũrĩ na haaro-ĩ!
Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩwe bũrũri ũrĩa mũthamaki waku aaciarĩtwo arĩ mũndũ wa gũtĩĩka, na ũrĩa ariũ ake marĩĩaga irio ihinda rĩrĩa rĩagĩrĩire: nĩgeetha magĩe na hinya, na makanyua, no ti geetha marĩĩo.
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!
18 Mũndũ angĩkorwo arĩ kĩgũũta, mĩitĩrĩro ya nyũmba yake nĩĩhocagĩrĩra; namo moko make mangĩregera, nyũmba no yure.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 Iruga rĩrugagwo nĩguo andũ makene, nayo ndibei ĩkenagia muoyo, no mbeeca nĩcio ihingagia maũndũ mothe.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
20 Ndũkanarume mũthamaki, o na meciiria-inĩ maku, na ndũkanacuuke gĩtonga ũrĩ nyũmba yaku ya thĩinĩ, tondũ nyoni ya rĩera-inĩ no ĩtware ciugo ciaku, o na kana ĩrĩa ĩrĩ mathagu ĩheane ũhoro ũcio warĩtie.
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.
