Ekiliziastis 10
1 Ijiji nwụrụ anwụ ga-eme ka mmanụ isi ụtọ sie isi ọjọọ. Otu a kwa, nzuzu nta pụrụ ime ka amamihe dị ukwuu ghara inwe nsọpụrụ.
Dead flies can make perfumed oil smell bad. Likewise a little foolishness outweighs great wisdom and honor.
2 Obi onye maara ihe na-eme ka o mee ihe ziri ezi, ma obi onye nzuzu na-eduba ya na mmehie.
The mind of the wise person chooses the right side, but the mind of the fool goes left!
3 Ị ga-ama onye nzuzu site nʼije ụkwụ ya, nʼihi na o maghị ihe. Ọ bụladị onye ọbụla na-achọpụta onye nzuzu ọsịịsọ.
Just the way that fools walk down the road shows they have no sense, making clear to everyone their stupidity.
4 Ọ bụrụ na iwe onye ọchịchị ebilie megide gị, ahapụla ọnọdụ gị, nʼihi na mmụọ dị nwayọọ ga-eme ka mmehie ukwu dị iche iche dajụọ.
If your superior gets angry with you, don't give up and leave. If you stay calm even bad mistakes can be resolved.
5 Ọ dịkwa ihe ọjọọ ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ, dịka njehie nke ndị eze na ndị na-achị achị na-ejehie.
I also realized there's another evil here on earth: rulers make a big mistake
6 Ahụrụ m ka ndị nzuzu na-enweta ọkwa dị elu, ma ndị ọgaranya adịghị enweta ọnọdụ ruuru ha.
when they put fools in high positions, while those who are richly qualified are put in low positions.
7 Ahụla m ka ohu na-agba ịnyịnya, ma ụmụ eze ji ụkwụ na-aga dịka ụmụ ohu.
I've seen slaves riding on horseback, while princes walk on the ground like slaves.
8 Onye gwuru olulu ga-adaba nʼime ya! Onye na-etida mgbidi ka agwọ ga-atagbu.
If you dig a pit, you could fall in. If you knock down a wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
9 Onye na-arụ ọrụ nʼebe a na-awa nkume ka nkume ga-adakwasị. Onye na-awa nkụ nọ nʼize ndụ site na ha.
If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.
10 Ọ bụrụ na anyụike adịghị nkọ, ọ bụrụkwa na-amụghị ihu ya amụ, a ga-etinye ike karịa, ma ịma eme ihe na-eme ka ihe gazie agazi.
If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results.
11 Ọ bụrụ na agwọ ataa mmadụ tupu e kechie ya ọnụ, ọ dịkwaghị uru ọ bara na e kechiri ya ọnụ.
If the snake bites the snake charmer before it's charmed, there's no benefit to the snake charmer!
12 Okwu onye maara ihe na-ejupụta nʼamara, ma okwu onye nzuzu na-eduba ya nʼịla nʼiyi
Wise words are beneficial, but fools destroy themselves by what they say.
13 Nʼihi na mmalite okwu ya bụ nzuzu, ọgwụgwụ okwu ya bụkwa naanị mmebi iwu na ịyị ara.
Fools begin by saying foolish things, and end up talking evil nonsense.
14 Onye nzuzu na-ekwu ọtụtụ okwu. Ma o nweghị onye ma ihe na-aga ime, onye pụrụ ịgwa ya ihe gaje ime mgbe ọ nwụrụ?
Fools talk on and on, however no one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
15 Ọrụ nke ndị nzuzu na-agwụ ya ike, ha makwaghị ụzọ ijeru obodo.
Work makes fools so worn out they can't achieve anything.
16 Ahụhụ ga-adịrị ala nke eze ya bụ nwantakịrị, nke ndị na-achị achị bụ ndị na-akpọ oriri nʼụtụtụ.
You're in trouble if the king of your country is young, and if your leaders are busy feasting from early morning.
17 Ngọzị na-adịrị ala ahụ nke eze ya bụ onye a na-asọpụrụ, nke ụmụ eze ya na-eri ihe mgbe o kwesiri nʼihi inweta ike, ọ bụghị maka ịṅụbiga mmanya oke.
You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.
18 Ọ bụ umengwụ na-eme ka ụlọ hie mmiri; ọ bụkwa umengwụ na-eme ka elu ụlọ malite ize eze.
Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.
19 Ịkpọ oriri na-eweta ọnụ ọchị, mmanya na-enye obi ụtọ, ma ego bụ ọsịsa nye ihe niile.
A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.
20 Akọchala eze, ọ bụladị nʼechiche obi gị; maọbụ bụọ ọgaranya ọnụ nʼime ụlọ ndina gị, nʼihi na anụ ufe nọ nʼelu nwere ike buru okwu gị nwa nnụnụ nwere nku ga-akọ ihe i kwuru.
Don't talk badly about the king, not even in your thoughts. Don't talk badly about leaders, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird may hear what you say and fly away to tell them.
