Omubuulizi 7
1 Obwatiikirivu bw’erinnya eddungi businga eby’akawoowo ebirungi; n’olunaku olw’okufa lusinga olwo olw’okuzaalirwako.
A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one’s birth.
2 Kirungi okulaga mu nnyumba ey’abakungubaga okusinga okulaga mu nnyumba ey’ebyassava. Kubanga buli omu wa kufa, ekyo kiteekwa okuba ku mutima gwa buli muntu.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Okunakuwala kusinga okuseka, kubanga amaaso amanakuwavu gazzaamu omutima amaanyi.
Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 Omutima gw’omugezi guba wamu n’abo abali mu nnaku; naye ogw’omusirusiru guba mu kusanyuka.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Kirungi okussaayo omwoyo ku kunenya kw’omuntu ow’amagezi okusinga okuwuliriza ennyimba z’abasirusiru.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Okuseka kw’abasirusiru kuli ng’okutulikatulika kw’amaggwa agali mu muliro gw’entamu; na kino nakyo butaliimu.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Kya mazima, okunyigirizibwa kufuula ow’amagezi okuba omusirusiru, n’enguzi efaafaaganya okutegeera.
Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding.
8 Enkomerero y’ekintu esinga entandikwa yaakyo, n’omugumiikiriza asinga ow’amalala.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Tosunguwalanga mangu nga waliwo akusokaasoka, kubanga obusungu bubeera munda y’abasirusiru.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Teweebuuzanga nti, “Lwaki ennaku ziri ez’edda zisinga zino?” Kubanga si kya magezi okwebuuza ekibuuzo ng’ekyo.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Amagezi kintu kirungi, okufaanana ng’eky’obugagga ky’obusika, era kigasa abo abakyalaba enjuba.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
12 Amagezi kiwummulo, ng’ensimbi bwe ziri ekiwummulo, naye enkizo y’okumanya y’eno: amagezi gakuuma obulamu bw’oyo agalina.
For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Lowooza ku Katonda ky’akoze: ani ayinza okugolola ekyo ekyakyama Katonda kye yakola?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 Ebiseera bwe biba ebirungi, sanyuka; naye bwe biba ebibi, kirowoozeeko; Katonda eyakola ekimu era ye yakola ne kinnaakyo. Noolwekyo omuntu tayinza kuzuula kirimubaako mu nnaku ze ez’omu maaso.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him.
15 Mu bulamu bwange buno obutaliimu ndabye bino byombi: omutuukirivu azikiririra mu butuukirivu bwe, n’omukozi w’ebibi n’awangaalira mu bibi bye.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Teweefuulanga mutuukirivu ayitiridde wadde okwefuula ow’amagezi ow’ekitalo; oleme okwezikiriza.
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Tobanga mwonoonyi kakuzzi wadde okuba omusirusiru; oleme okufa ng’ekiseera kyo tekinnatuuka.
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Ekyo kirungi okiyige, na kiri oleme kukibuusa maaso, kubanga oyo atya Katonda abyewala okubiyitiriza.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all.
19 Ow’amagezi ne bw’aba omu mu kibuga, aba w’amaanyi okusinga abakulembeze ekkumi ab’omu kibuga ekyo.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Ddala ku nsi tekuli muntu mutuukirivu, atakola bibi.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Towulirizanga buli kigambo, bantu kye boogera, si kulwa ng’owulira omuweereza wo ng’akukolimira,
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
22 kubanga naawe okimanyidde ddala mu mutima gwo, ng’emirundi mingi okolimidde abalala.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Ebyo byonna nabyekenneenya n’amagezi ne ŋŋamba nti, “Mmaliridde okuba omugezi,” wabula kino kyandi wala.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Amagezi ne bwe gaba ga kikula ki, gali wala nnyo era tegalojjeka, kale ani ayinza okugavumbula?
That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
25 Bwe ntyo ne nkyusa omutima gwange nnoonye okutegeera, nekkanye, era nnoonyereze amagezi ndowooze ne ku bintu nga bwe biri, n’okutegeera obusirusiru bw’okukola ebibi: n’eddalu ery’obusirusiru.
I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26 Ekintu kye nalaba eky’obulabe ekisinga okufa, ye mukazi alina omutima ogusendasenda, era ogusikiriza, era emikono gye gisiba ng’enjegere. Oyo ayagala Katonda, y’awona omukazi oyo, kyokka ye omwonoonyi talema kugwa mu mutego gwe.
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Omubuulizi agamba nti, “Laba, kino kyenvumbudde: “Okugatta ekintu ku kinnaakyo, okuzuula enkola y’ebintu,
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;
28 bwe nnali nga nkyanoonyereza nabulako kye nzuula, okuggyako okulaba omusajja omwesimbu omu mu basajja lukumi, kyokka mu bakazi bonna ssaalabamu n’omu atuukiridde.
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Wabula kino kyokka kye nalaba: Katonda yatonda omuntu nga mugolokofu, naye abantu ne beenoonyeza ebintu ebirala bingi.”
Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
