Kohelethu 12
1 Ririkanaga Mũkũũmbi matukũ-inĩ ma ũnini waku, mũiria wa matukũ ma thĩĩna makinye, na mĩaka ĩkuhĩrĩrie rĩrĩa ũkoiga atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ ndikenagĩra mĩaka ĩno-ĩ”:
Let your mind be turned to your Maker in the days of your strength, while the evil days come not, and the years are far away when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 riũa na ũtheri, na mweri na njata ĩtanatuĩka nduma, namo matu matanacooka ho mbura yathira;
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not dark, and the clouds come not back after the rain;
3 rĩrĩa aikaria a nyũmba makainaina, nao arĩa marĩ hinya mainame, rĩrĩa ithĩi igaatiga gũthĩa nĩ ũndũ nĩ nini, nao arĩa macũthagĩrĩria na ndirica matumanĩrwo nĩ nduma;
In the day when the keepers of the house are shaking for fear, and the strong men are bent down, and the women who were crushing the grain are at rest because their number is small, and those looking out of the windows are unable to see;
4 rĩrĩa mĩrango ya kuumĩra barabara ĩkaahingwo, na mũgambo wa gũthĩa ũnyiihe; rĩrĩa andũ magookagĩrio nĩ mĩgambo ya nyoni, no nyĩmbo ciao ciothe ikaaga kũiguĩka;
When the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of the crushing is low, and the voice of the bird is soft, and the daughters of music will be made low;
5 rĩrĩa andũ marĩ na guoya wa kũhaica igũrũ, na mageetigĩra mogwati ma mabarabara-inĩ; rĩrĩa mũtĩ wa mũrothi ũrutĩte kĩro, nayo ndaahi ithiiage ĩĩkururĩtie, namo merirĩria mage hinya. Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũndũ ainũke kũrĩa agaatũũra tene na tene, nao acakai mathiĩ magĩcakayaga njĩra-inĩ.
And he is in fear of that which is high, and danger is in the road, and the tree is white with flower, and the least thing is a weight, and desire is at an end, because man goes to his last resting-place, and those who are sorrowing are in the streets;
6 Ririkanaga Mũkũũmbi: mbere ya mũhĩndo wa betha ũtanatuĩka, o na kana mbakũri ya thahabu ĩtaanooragwo; mbere ya ndigithũ gũthethererwo itherũkĩro-inĩ rĩa maaĩ, kana kũgũrũ kwa ngaari kuunĩkĩre gĩthima-inĩ,
Before ever the silver cord is cut, or the vessel of gold is broken, or the pot is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the water-hole;
7 naruo rũkũngũ rũcooke tĩĩri-inĩ kũrĩa ruoimire, naguo roho ũcooke kũrĩ Ngai ũrĩa waũheanire.
And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave it.
8 “Maũndũ mothe nĩ ma tũhũ! Nĩ ma tũhũ!” Ũguo nĩguo Mũrutani ekuuga. “Maũndũ mothe nĩ ma tũhũ!”
All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.
9 Mũrutani to kũũhĩga aarĩ mũũgĩ, no nĩ aarutire andũ maũndũ.
And because the Preacher was wise he still gave the people knowledge; searching out, testing, and putting in order a great number of wise sayings.
10 Nĩacũũranirie na agĩtuĩria maũndũ, na agĩtabanĩria thimo nyingĩ na mũbango. Mũrutani nĩatuĩririe nĩgeetha one ciugo o iria ciagĩrĩire, na ũrĩa aandĩkire warĩ mũrũngĩrĩru na wa ma.
The Preacher made search for words which were pleasing, but his writing was in words upright and true.
11 Ciugo cia andũ arĩa oogĩ nĩ ta mĩcengi, nayo mĩario yao ĩcookanĩrĩirio ĩhaana ta nyambo ihũũrĩirwo wega ikarũma, iheanĩtwo nĩ Mũrĩithi ũmwe.
The words of the wise are pointed, and sayings grouped together are like nails fixed with a hammer; they are given by one guide.
12 Ĩtĩkĩra gũtaarwo, mũrũ wakwa, ndũkaneeke ũndũ wa gũciongerera. Ha ũhoro wa gũthondeka mabuku maingĩ-rĩ, ndũrĩ mũthia, nakuo gũthoma mũno kũnogagia mwĩrĩ.
And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
13 Rĩu-rĩ, maũndũ mothe nĩmarĩkĩtie kũiguuo; kĩrĩkĩrĩro kĩa ũhoro ũcio wothe nĩ gĩkĩ: Wĩtigĩre Ngai na ũrũmagie maathani make, nĩ ũndũ gwĩka ũguo nĩkũhingia maũndũ mothe marĩa mũndũ agĩrĩirũo nĩ gwĩka.
This is the last word. All has been said. Have fear of God and keep his laws; because this is right for every man.
14 Nĩgũkorwo Ngai nĩagaciirithanĩria ũndũ o wothe wĩkĩtwo, hamwe na maũndũ mothe marĩa mahithe, marĩ mega kana marĩ mooru.
God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.
