Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
Nhunzi dzakafa dzinonhuwisa mafuta akanaka, saizvozvowo upenzi hushoma hunorema kukunda uchenjeri nokukudzwa.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Mwoyo womunhu akachenjera unosimbira kurudyi, asi mwoyo webenzi unosimbira kuruboshwe.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
Kunyange richifamba pamugwagwa, benzi rinoshayiwa njere uye rinoratidza vanhu vose upenzi hwaro.
4 If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
Kana kutsamwa kwomutongi kukakumukira, usabva panzvimbo yako; unyoro hunonyaradza mhosva huru.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
Kune chinhu chakaipa chandakaona pasi pezuva, kutadza kunobva kuvatongi:
6 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
Mapenzi anoiswa munzvimbo zhinji dzapamusoro, ipapo vapfumi vachitora nzvimbo dzakaderera.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Ndakaona varanda vakatasva mabhiza, ipapo machinda achifamba pasi netsoka savaranda.
8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
Ani naani anochera gomba angangowira mariri; ani naani anopwanya naparusvingo angangorumwa nenyoka.
9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Ani naani anopwanya matombo angangokuvadzwa nawo; ani naani anotsemura matanda angangozviisa panjodzi nawo.
10 If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
Kana demo rakagomara uye rikasarodzwa, panodiwa simba rakawanda, asi unyanzvi hunouyisa kubudirira.
11 If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Kana nyoka ikaruma mupingudzi asati aibata, mupingudzi haachabatsiri.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Mashoko anobva mumuromo momunhu akachenjera ane unyoro, asi benzi rinomedzwa nomuromo waro.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Kutanga kwamashoko ake upenzi; nokuguma kwokutaura kwake mupengo wakashata.
14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
Uye benzi rinowanza mashoko. Hapana munhu anoziva zvichauya, ndiani angamuudza zvichaitika shure kwake?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
Basa rebenzi rinomunetesa; haazivi nzira inoenda kuguta.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
Une nhamo iwe nyika ina mambo aiva muranda uye ina machinda anoita mabiko mangwanani.
17 Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Wakaropafadzwa iwe nyika ina mambo akaberekwa mukukudzwa uye ina machinda anodya panguva yakafanira, kuti vasimbiswe kwete kuti vadhakwe.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
Kana munhu ari simbe, denga remba rinosakara; kana achigarira maoko, imba inobvinza.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
Mabiko anoitirwa kuseka, uye waini inofadza upenyu, asi mari imhinduro kune zvose.
20 Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
Usatuka mambo kunyange mupfungwa dzako, kana kutuka mupfumi paimba yako yokuvata, nokuti shiri yedenga ingangotakura mashoko ako, uye china mapapiro chingangozivisa zvawataura.
