Lallaba 10
1 Akkuma tisiisni duute tokko shittoo ajeessitu sana gowwummaan xinnoon ogummaa fi ulfina balleessa.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Yaadni ogeessaa karaa mirgaa, yaadni gowwaa immoo karaa bitaa jira.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Gowwaan yoo karaa deemu illee qalbii hin qabu; akka gowwaa taʼes nama hundatti argisiisa.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Yoo dheekkamsi bulchaa tokkoo sitti hammaate, ati iddoo kee gad hin dhiisin; tasgabbaaʼuun dogoggora guddaa hambisuu dandaʼaatii.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Hamminni ani aduudhaa gaditti arge tokko jira; kunis dogoggora bulchaan tokko uumuu dha.
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Utuma badhaadhonni iddoo gad aanu qabatanii jiranuu, gowwoonni iddoo ulfinaa qabatu.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Ani utuma ilmaan moototaa akka garbootaa miillaan deemanii garboonni immoo fardaan utuu deemanii nan arge.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Namni boolla qotu kam iyyuu ofuma isaatii keessa buʼa; nama dallaa cabsee keessaan baʼu kam iyyuu bofatu idda.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Namni dhagaa baasu kam iyyuu dhagaa sanaan miidhamuu dandaʼa; namni jirma baqaqsu hundinuus jirmuma sanaan miidhama.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Qottoon doomee afaan isaa yoo hin qaramin, humna guddaa barbaachisa; ogummaan garuu milkaaʼinna fida.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Bofti tokko utuu hin raateffamin yoo nama idde, namichi bofa raatessu sun homaa hin argatu.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Dubbiin afaan ogeessaatii baʼu ulfina qaba; namni gowwaan immoo hidhii ofii isaatiin bada.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Dubbiin isaa jalqabatti gowwummaa dha; dhuma irratti garuu maraatummaa hamaa dha;
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 namni gowwaan dubbii baayʼisa. Namni tokko iyyuu waan dhufuuf jiru hin beeku; eenyutu waan isa duubaan taʼu isatti himuu dandaʼa?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Dadhabbiin gowwaa isuma butuchiti; inni karaa gara magaalaatti geessu hin beeku.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Yaa biyya mootiin kee mucaa turee, kan ilmaan moototaa kee ganamaan nyaatanii dhugan siif wayyoo.
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Yaa biyya mootiin kee sanyii beekamaa irraa dhalate, kan ilmaan moototaa utuu machaaʼuuf hin taʼin, jabina argachuuf jedhanii yeroo malutti nyaatanii dhugan, ati eebbifamtuu dha.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Dhibaaʼummaan, mana duuffisa; harki hin hojjennes mana dhimmisiisa.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Cidhi kolfaaf qopheeffama; daadhiin wayiniis jireenya gammachiisa; maallaqni immoo deebii waan hundaa ti.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Sababii simbirri samii dubbii kee geessituuf, yookaan simbirri barrisaa jirtu dhaqxee waan ati jettu himtuuf, ati yaada kee keessatti mootii hin arrabsin; yookaan kutaa hirribaa keessatti sooressa hin abaarin.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
