Kohelethu 9
1 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngĩĩcũũrania ũhoro wa maũndũ macio mothe na ngĩona atĩ andũ arĩa athingu na arĩa oogĩ, o hamwe na mawĩra mao, marĩ moko-inĩ ma Ngai, no rĩrĩ, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩmenya kana nĩ wendo, kana nĩ rũmena rũmwetereire.
For, unto all this, I applied my heart, and, my heart, considered all this, that, the righteous and the wise and their servants, were in the hand of God, —neither love nor hatred, could any man know, every one, was before Him.
2 Andũ othe marĩĩkagĩrĩria o ũndũ ũmwe: kĩrĩkĩrĩro kĩa andũ arĩa athingu na arĩa aaganu, kĩa andũ arĩa ega na arĩa ooru, kĩa andũ arĩa matethaahĩtie na arĩa methaahĩtie, na kĩa andũ arĩa marutaga magongona na arĩa matarutaga gĩothe no kĩmwe. O ta ũrĩa mũndũ mwega atariĩ, ũguo noguo mũndũ mwĩhia atariĩ; o ta ũrĩa arĩa mehĩtaga na mĩĩhĩtwa matariĩ, ũguo noguo arĩa metigagĩra kwĩhĩta na mĩĩhĩtwa matariĩ.
Every one, was like every one else, one destiny, had the righteous and the lawless, the good and the pure and the impure, and he that sacrificed, and he that did not sacrifice, —as the good man, so, the sinner, he that took an oath, as he who, of an oath, stood in fear.
3 Ũyũ nĩguo ũũru ũrĩa ũkoragwo maũndũ-inĩ mothe marĩa mekĩkaga gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa: Andũ othe marĩĩkagĩrĩria o ũndũ ũmwe. O na ningĩ ngoro cia andũ ciyũrĩte ũũru, na ũgũrũki ũkaagĩa ngoro-inĩ ciao rĩrĩa marĩ muoyo, na thuutha-inĩ magakua.
This was a misfortune in all that was done under the sun, that, one destiny, had they all, —yea also, the heart of the sons of men, was full of wickedness, and, madness, was in their heart, while they lived, and, after that, [they went] unto the dead.
4 Mũndũ ũrĩa wothe ũrĩ gatagatĩ ka arĩa marĩ muoyo arĩ na kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro; na rĩrĩ, nĩ kaba ngui ĩrĩ muoyo gũkĩra mũrũũthi mũkuũ!
For, whosoever was united to all the living, for him, there was hope, —inasmuch as, a living dog, fared better than a dead lion.
5 Nĩ ũndũ andũ arĩa marĩ muoyo nĩmooĩ nĩmagakua, no arĩa makuĩte matirĩ ũndũ mooĩ; na matirĩ kĩheo kĩngĩ metereire, o na matiririkanagwo, nĩmariganĩire.
For, the living, knew that they should die, —but, the dead, knew not, anything, neither had they any longer a reward, because forgotten was their memory.
6 Wendani wao, na rũmena rwao, o na ũiru wao nĩithirĩte biũ; na gũtirĩ hĩndĩ ĩngĩ magaacooka kũgĩa na handũ maũndũ-inĩ marĩa mothe mekagwo gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa.
Both their love and their hatred and their envy, already had perished, —and, portion, had they none any longer, unto times age-abiding, in aught that was done under the sun.
7 Thiĩ, ũrĩe irio ciaku ũkenete, na ũnyue ndibei yaku ũcanjamũkĩte ngoro, nĩgũkorwo ihinda rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩo Ngai etĩkĩrĩte wĩra waku.
Go thy way—eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine, —when already God is well pleased with thy works.
8 Wĩhumbage nguo cia rangi mwerũ hĩndĩ ciothe, na wĩhakage maguta mũtwe hĩndĩ yothe.
Continually, let thy garments be white, —and, ointment upon thy head, let it not be lacking.
9 Tũũranagiai na gĩkeno na mũtumia ũcio waku wendeete, matukũ mothe ma muoyo ũyũ wa tũhũ marĩa Ngai akũheete gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa, o matukũ macio maku mothe ma tũhũ. Nĩ ũndũ rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩo igai rĩaku mũtũũrĩre-inĩ waku, o na gwĩtungumania-inĩ gwaku ũrĩ gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa.
Enjoy life, with thy wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy life of vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy days of vanity, —for, that, is thy portion in life, and in thy toil wherewith, thou, art toiling under the sun.
10 Ũndũ ũrĩa wothe ũngĩona wa gwĩka na guoko gwaku-rĩ, wĩke na hinya waku wothe, tondũ mbĩrĩra-inĩ kũrĩa ũrorete, gũtirĩ kũruta wĩra kana gwĩciiria, kana kũmenya maũndũ, o na kana ũũgĩ. (Sheol h7585)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, with thy might, do, —for there is no work nor calculation nor knowledge nor wisdom, in hades, whither, thou, art going. (Sheol h7585)
11 Nĩnyonete ũndũ ũngĩ gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa: Atĩ andũ arĩa marĩ ihenya tio mahootanaga ihenya-inĩ, na arĩa marĩ hinya tio mahootanaga mbaara-inĩ, o na arĩa oogĩ tio moonaga irio, na arĩa mooĩ maũndũ mũno tio magĩaga na ũtonga, o na kana andũ arĩa oogĩ makaheo gĩtĩĩo; no rĩrĩ, ihinda na mweke nĩ cia andũ othe.
I again saw under the sun, that not, to the swift, was the race, nor, to the strong, the battle, nay! nor, to the wise, food, nor yet, to the intelligent, riches, nor, even to the well-informed, comeliness, —for, time and accident, happened to them all.
12 O na ningĩ, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩmenya rĩrĩa mũtino ũngĩmũkora: Tondũ o ta ũrĩa thamaki inyiitagwo na mũtego mũũru, o na ta ũrĩa nyoni inyiitagwo na gĩkerenge, ũguo noguo andũ manyiitagwo nĩ mahinda mooru marĩa mamakinyagĩrĩra materĩgĩrĩire.
For, indeed, man could not know his own time, like fishes which were caught in a cruel net, and like little birds which were caught in a trap, —like them, were ensnared the sons of men, by a time of misfortune, when it fell upon them suddenly.
13 Ningĩ ngĩona ũũgĩ gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa ũrĩa wamakirie mũno, watariĩ ũũ:
Even this, had I seen of wisdom, under the sun, —and, of great import, was the same unto me: —
14 Hĩndĩ ĩmwe nĩ kwarĩ itũũra inini, na rĩarĩ na andũ o anini thĩinĩ warĩo. Na mũthamaki warĩ na hinya mũno akĩrĩũkĩrĩra, akĩrĩthiũrũrũkĩria, na agĩaka rũirigo rwa kũrĩrigiicĩria, arĩũkĩrĩre.
A little city, and men therein few, —and there came against it a great king, and surrounded it, and built against it large siege-works;
15 Na rĩrĩ, itũũra-inĩ rĩu nĩ gwatũũraga mũndũ mũthĩĩni no aarĩ mũũgĩ, nake akĩhonokia itũũra rĩu na ũũgĩ wake. No rĩrĩ, gũtirĩ mũndũ wacookire kũririkana mũndũ ũcio mũthĩĩni.
but there was found therein, a man, poor [but] wise, and, he, delivered the city by his wisdom, —yet, no one, remembered that poor man.
16 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngĩkiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũũgĩ nĩ mwega gũkĩra hinya.” No ũũgĩ wa mũndũ mũthĩĩni nĩũmenagwo, na ciugo ciake itithikagĩrĩrio.
Then said, I, Better is wisdom than strength, —although, the wisdom of the poor man, be despised, and, his words, not heard.
17 Ciugo cia ũhooreri cia mũndũ ũrĩa mũũgĩ nĩciagĩrĩire ithikagĩrĩrio, gũkĩra rĩanĩrĩra rĩa mũndũ ũrĩa wathaga irimũ.
The words of the wise, in quietness, are heard, —beyond the outcry of one who ruleth over dullards.
18 Nĩ kaba ũũgĩ gũkĩra indo cia mbaara, no rĩrĩ, mũndũ mwĩhia ũmwe nĩathũkagia maũndũ maingĩ mega.
Better is wisdom, than weapons of war, —but, one sinner, may destroy much good.
