Ecclesiastes 10
1 Gẹ́gẹ́ bí òkú eṣinṣin tí ń fún òróró ìkunra ní òórùn búburú, bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni òmùgọ̀ díẹ̀ ṣe ń bo ọgbọ́n àti ọlá mọ́lẹ̀.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Ọkàn ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ṣí sí ohun tí ó tọ̀nà, ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn òmùgọ̀ sí ohun tí kò dára.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Kódà bí ó ti ṣe ń rìn láàrín ọ̀nà, òmùgọ̀ kò ní ọgbọ́n a sì máa fihan gbogbo ènìyàn bí ó ti gọ̀ tó.
Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Bí ìbínú alákòóso bá dìde lòdì sí ọ, ma ṣe fi ààyè rẹ sílẹ̀; ìdákẹ́ jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́ le è tú àṣìṣe ńlá.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 Ohun ibi kan wà tí mo ti rí lábẹ́ oòrùn, irú àṣìṣe tí ó dìde láti ọ̀dọ̀ alákòóso.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 A gbé aṣiwèrè sí ọ̀pọ̀ ipò tí ó ga jùlọ, nígbà tí ọlọ́rọ̀ gba àwọn ààyè tí ó kéré jùlọ.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Mo ti rí ẹrú lórí ẹṣin, nígbà tí ọmọ-aládé ń fi ẹsẹ̀ rìn bí ẹrú.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gbẹ́ kòtò, ó le è ṣubú sínú rẹ̀; ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá la inú ògiri, ejò le è ṣán an.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá gbe òkúta le è ní ìpalára láti ipasẹ̀ wọn; ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó bá la ìtì igi le è ní ìpalára láti ipasẹ̀ wọn.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Bí àáké bá kú tí ẹ̀gbẹ́ rẹ̀ kò sì sí ní pípọ́n; yóò nílò agbára púpọ̀ ṣùgbọ́n ọgbọ́n orí ni yóò mú àṣeyọrí wá.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Bí ejò bá ṣán ni kí a tó lo oògùn rẹ̀, kò sí èrè kankan fún olóògùn rẹ̀.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Ọ̀rọ̀ tí ó wá láti ẹnu ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ní oore-ọ̀fẹ́ ṣùgbọ́n ètè òmùgọ̀ fúnra rẹ̀ ni yóò parun.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ jẹ́ òmùgọ̀; ìparí rẹ̀ sì jẹ́ ìsínwín búburú.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 Wèrè a sì máa ṣàfikún ọ̀rọ̀. Kò sí ẹni tí ó mọ ohun tí ó ń bọ̀ ta ni ó le è sọ fún un ohun tí yóò ṣẹlẹ̀ lẹ́yìn rẹ̀?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Iṣẹ́ aṣiwèrè a máa dá a lágara kò sì mọ ojú ọ̀nà sí ìlú.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Ègbé ni fún ọ, ìwọ ilẹ̀ tí ọba ń ṣe ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ àti tí àwọn ọmọ-aládé ń ṣe àsè ní òwúrọ̀.
Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Ìbùkún ni fún ọ, ìwọ ilẹ̀ èyí tí ọba rẹ̀ jẹ́ ọmọ ọlọ́lá, àti tí àwọn ọmọ-aládé ń jẹun ní àsìkò tí ó yẹ, fún ìlera, tí kì í ṣe fún ìmutípara.
Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Bí ènìyàn bá ń lọ́ra, àjà ilé a máa jì bí ọwọ́ rẹ̀ bá ń ṣe ọ̀lẹ, ilé a máa jó.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Ẹ̀rín rínrín ni a ṣe àsè fún, wáìnì a máa mú ayé dùn, ṣùgbọ́n owó ni ìdáhùn sí ohun gbogbo.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Ma ṣe bú ọba, kódà nínú èrò rẹ, tàbí kí o ṣépè fún ọlọ́rọ̀ ní ibi ibùsùn rẹ, nítorí pé ẹyẹ ojú ọ̀run le è gbé ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ ẹyẹ tí ó sì ní ìyẹ́ apá le è fi ẹjọ́ ohun tí o sọ sùn.
Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
