Omubuulizi 12
1 Jjukiranga omutonzi wo mu nnaku ez’obuvubuka bwo, ng’ennaku embi tezinnakutuukako n’emyaka nga teginnasembera, mw’olyogerera nti, “Sizisanyukira”;
But remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youthful vigor, while the evil days are not yet come, nor those years draw nigh of which thou wilt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 ng’enjuba n’obutangaavu, omwezi n’emmunyeenye nga tebinnafuuka kizikiza; nga n’ebire biweddemu enkuba;
While the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are not yet darkened, and the clouds return not again after the rain;
3 abakuumi b’enju mwe balikankanira, n’abasajja ab’amaanyi mwe bakutamizibwa, nga n’abo abasa baleseeyo okusa, kubanga batono, n’abo abalingiza mu butuli nga tebakyalaba;
On the day when the watchmen of the house will tremble and the men of might will bend themselves, and the grinders stand idle, because they are become few, and those be darkened that look through the windows;
4 nga n’enzigi ez’olekedde enguudo zigaddwawo, n’eddoboozi ly’okusa nga livumbedde; ng’abasajja bagolokoka olw’eddoboozi ly’ennyonyi, naye nga ennyimba zaabwe zivumbedde;
And when the two doors on the streets will be locked, while the sound of the mill becometh dull, and man riseth up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 nga batya buli kiwanvu n’akabi akali mu nguudo, ng’omubira gumulisizza, ng’enseenene yeewalula era nga tewakyali alimu keetaaga kino oba kiri. Omuntu n’agenda mu nnyumba ye gy’alimala ekiseera ekiwanvu n’abakungubazi ne babuna enguudo.
Also when men will be afraid of every elevation, and are terrified on every way, and the almond-tree will refuse [its blossom], and the locust will drag itself slowly along, and the desire will gainsay compliance; because man goeth to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 Jjukira omutonzi wo ng’omuguwa gwa ffeeza tegunnakutuka oba ebbakuli eya zaabu nga tennayatika, ng’ensuwa tennayatikira ku luzzi obanga ne nnamuziga tennamenyekera ku luzzi,
While the silver cord is not yet torn loose, and the golden bowl is not crushed, and the pitcher is not broken at the fountain, and the wheel is not crushed at the cistern;
7 ng’enfuufu edda mu ttaka mwe yava, n’omwoyo ne gudda eri Katonda eyaguwa omuntu.
When the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return unto God who gave it.—
8 Obutaliimu! Obutaliimu! Omubuulizi bw’agamba, “Buli kintu butaliimu.”
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth: all is vanity.—
9 Omubuulizi teyali mugezi kyokka, wabula yayigiriza n’abantu eby’amagezi. Yalowooza n’anoonyereza n’ayiiyaayo engero nnyingi.
And in addition to this that Koheleth was wise, he continually also taught the people knowledge, and he probed, and searched out, and composed many proverbs.
10 Omubuulizi yanoonyereza n’afuna ebigambo ebituufu byennyini, ne bye yawandiika byali byesimbu era nga bya mazima.
Koheleth sought to find out acceptable words, and that which would be written down uprightly, even words of truth.
11 Ebigambo by’abantu abagezi biri ng’emiwunda, engero zino ezakuŋŋaanyizibwa omusumba omu ziri ng’emisumaali egyakomererwa ne ginywezebwa ennyo.
The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails fastened [are the words of] the men of the assemblies, which are given by one shepherd.
12 Mwana wange weekuume ekintu kyonna ekyongerwako. Okuwandiika ebitabo ebingi tekukoma, n’okuyiga okungi kukooya omubiri.
But more than all these, my son, take warning for thyself: the making of many books would have no end; and much preaching is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Kale byonna biwuliddwa; eno y’enkomerero yaabyo: Tyanga Katonda okwatenga amateeka ge, kubanga ekyo omuntu ky’agwanira okukola.
The end of the matter is, let us hear the whole: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty of] man.
14 Kubanga Katonda alisala omusango olwa buli kikolwa; ekyo ekyakwekebwa, nga kirungi oba nga kibi.
For every deed will God bring into the judgment concerning every thing that hath been hidden, whether it be good, or whether it be bad.
