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”:
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, 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;
Before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and the clouds return 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 shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,
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;
and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought 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.
Also, they are afraid of heights, and of terrors in the way; and the almond tree blossoms, and the grasshopper is burdened, and the caper bush fails; because man goes to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about 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 the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
7 naruo rũkũngũ rũcooke tĩĩri-inĩ kũrĩa ruoimire, naguo roho ũcooke kũrĩ Ngai ũrĩa waũheanire.
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 “Maũndũ mothe nĩ ma tũhũ! Nĩ ma tũhũ!” Ũguo nĩguo Mũrutani ekuuga. “Maũndũ mothe nĩ ma tũhũ!”
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher. All is vanity.
9 Mũrutani to kũũhĩga aarĩ mũũgĩ, no nĩ aarutire andũ maũndũ.
Further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yes, he pondered, sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
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 sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written blamelessly, words of truth.
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 like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of collections, which are given from one shepherd.
12 Ĩtĩkĩra gũtaarwo, mũrũ wakwa, ndũkaneeke ũndũ wa gũciongerera. Ha ũhoro wa gũthondeka mabuku maingĩ-rĩ, ndũrĩ mũthia, nakuo gũthoma mũno kũnogagia mwĩrĩ.
Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of 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 end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.
14 Nĩgũkorwo Ngai nĩagaciirithanĩria ũndũ o wothe wĩkĩtwo, hamwe na maũndũ mothe marĩa mahithe, marĩ mega kana marĩ mooru.
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
