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.
Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly.
2 Ọkàn ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ṣí sí ohun tí ó tọ̀nà, ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn òmùgọ̀ sí ohun tí kò dára.
The heart of a wise man is in his right hand, and the heart of a fool is in his left hand.
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 the fool when he walketh in the way, whereas be himself is a fool, esteemeth all men fools.
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 him that hath power, ascend upon thee, leave not thy place: because care will make the greatest sins to cease.
5 Ohun ibi kan wà tí mo ti rí lábẹ́ oòrùn, irú àṣìṣe tí ó dìde láti ọ̀dọ̀ alákòóso.
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were by an error proceeding from the face of the prince:
6 A gbé aṣiwèrè sí ọ̀pọ̀ ipò tí ó ga jùlọ, nígbà tí ọlọ́rọ̀ gba àwọn ààyè tí ó kéré jùlọ.
A fool set in high dignity, and the rich sitting beneath.
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 on the ground as servants.
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 diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that breaketh a hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
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 removeth stones, shall be hurt by them: and he that cutteth trees, shall be wounded by them.
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 iron be blunt, and be not as before, but be made blunt, with much labour it shall be sharpened: and after industry shall follow wisdom.
11 Bí ejò bá ṣán ni kí a tó lo oògùn rẹ̀, kò sí èrè kankan fún olóògùn rẹ̀.
If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly.
12 Ọ̀rọ̀ tí ó wá láti ẹnu ọlọ́gbọ́n a máa ní oore-ọ̀fẹ́ ṣùgbọ́n ètè òmùgọ̀ fúnra rẹ̀ ni yóò parun.
The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong.
13 Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ jẹ́ òmùgọ̀; ìparí rẹ̀ sì jẹ́ ìsínwín búburú.
The beginning of his words is folly, and the end of his talk is a mischievous error.
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 multiplieth words. A man cannot tell what hath been before him: and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Iṣẹ́ aṣiwèrè a máa dá a lágara kò sì mọ ojú ọ̀nà sí ìlú.
The labour of fools shall afflict them that know not bow 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 land, when thy king is a child, and when the 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 is the land, whose king is noble, and whose princes eat in due season for refreshment, and not for riotousness.
18 Bí ènìyàn bá ń lọ́ra, àjà ilé a máa jì bí ọwọ́ rẹ̀ bá ń ṣe ọ̀lẹ, ilé a máa jó.
By slothfulness a building shall be brought down, and through the weakness of hands, the house shall drop through.
19 Ẹ̀rín rínrín ni a ṣe àsè fún, wáìnì a máa mú ayé dùn, ṣùgbọ́n owó ni ìdáhùn sí ohun gbogbo.
For laughter they make bread, and wine that the living may feast: and all things obey money.
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.
Detract not the king, no not in thy thought; and speak not evil of the rich man in thy private chamber: because even the birds of the air will carry thy voice, and he that hath wings will tell what thou hast said.
