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, thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt 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, and the light, and the moon, and the stars become dark, 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;
at the time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that 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;
when the doors are shut in the streets, while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are 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.
when also they are afraid of that which is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is powerless; since man goeth to his eternal 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 be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered at the well,
7 naruo rũkũngũ rũcooke tĩĩri-inĩ kũrĩa ruoimire, naguo roho ũcooke kũrĩ Ngai ũrĩa waũheanire.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return 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, saith the Preacher; all is vanity!
9 Mũrutani to kũũhĩga aarĩ mũũgĩ, no nĩ aarutire andũ maũndũ.
Moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and 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 to write correctly 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 as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of members of assemblies, given by 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.
And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying of books there is no end, and much study wearieth 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.
Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty of every 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 the judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
