Butjenjedu
1 Zina buya lopinda tjizholo tjakanaka, ne zhuba le lufu lopinda le kuzwagwa. 2 Koyita kuyenda ku ng'umba ye tjililo pana ku ng'umba ye zojiwa, ngobe ndilo bhelelo le bathu bose, kakale banotjila banowokulonga mu moyo. 3 Buyendasi goyita pa tjiseko, ngoti buso gungalakidza kusashatha ngono moyo wakashatha. 4 Mimoyo ye batjenjedu imu ng'umba ye tjililo, koga mimoyo ye zwilengwe imu ng'umba ye mizipo. 5 Koyita kuti nthu aamutjile kutjemegwa nge ntjenjedu pana kuteedza lumbo gwe zwilengwe. 6 Koga se kuthathanya kwe miwa kusi kwe hali, tjakajalo tjiseko tje zwilengwe, ikoku naiko madatha. 7 Nge malebeswa tshambilidzo ino thama ntjenjedu akabe tjilengwe, ne tjizwimbanlomo tjobodza nkumbulo. 8 Koyita bhelelo le tjithu pana kutangisa kwatjo, kakale moyonlefu unoyita pa mazwikudzo. 9 Usitjimbidze wagwadzamoyo, ngobe kugwadzamoyo kogala mu zwifuba zwe zwilengwe. 10 Usitongoti, “Ini misi ya ntolo ipinda misi ya ngwenu?” Ngobe ha uyijalo aautobhuzwa ne butjenjedu. 11 Butjenjedu gwakanaka aguna thaka, i bhatsho muna ibabo banotjila. 12 Ngobe butjenjedu gobakilila koga se mari e bakilila, bhatsho ye luzibo hwuti butjenjedu gotjengeta butjilo gwa iye unago. 13 Kumbulani mishingo ye Ndzimu, ndiyani unga tambunudza tjithu tjawakakombamisa? 14 Zhuba le kubhudilila ushathe, koga mu zhuba le manikano kumbula woku, Ndzimu wakalithama koga sa ilelije, kuti nthu asitongo ziba tjinowoshingikala shule. 15 Mu butjilo gwangu gusigwatjimwe ndakazwibona zose, kuna nlulwami unoloba mu bululwami gugwe, kukabe ne nthu mbi unobe ne butjilo gulefu mu kushinga bubi kukwe. 16 Usibe nlulwami kwaka pindilila, kakale usitongobe ntjenjedusa, unowobe uzwibulailani? 17 Usitongobe mbimbi, kakale usitongobe tjilengwe, unowobe ufilani tjibaka tjitjo tjisathu tjikaswika? 18 Kubuya kuti ubhate ikoku, usitongo letja, ngobe iye unotja Ndzimu unowokunda zose. 19 Butjenjedu go pa simba nthu wakatjenjela kupinda gumi le balauli mu nzi nkulu. 20 Malebeswa hwuti akuna nlulwami mu shango unothama bubuya asingatongoyita tjibi. 21 Usibe ne hanya ne zwithu zose zwinolebgwa ne bathu, ngobe ungadwa uhwa nlanda uwo ekulonga bhiso, 22 unoziba tjamu moyo uwo kuti iwe ngekuko wakatongo longa bamwe bhiso. 23 Kose ikoku ndaka kulika nge butjenjedu, ndakati, “Ndowotjenjela,” koga kwake kuli kule nami. 24 Itjo tjiyapo, tjikulekule ntome tjimukati mukatikati, ndiani ungatjiwana? 25 Ndakalonga meya mu nyama mukushakisisa butjenjedu ne tjimo tje zwithu, ne kuziba bubi gwe bulengwe ne bulengwe gwe bupengo. 26 Ndakawana tjithu tjinogwadza kupinda lufu, kuli nkadzi ali dati ali bhuzhu, maboko awe ali ketani, koga iye unoshathisa Ndzimu unomphunyuka, koga ntjinyi unosungwa nge nkadzi wakajalo. 27 “Bonani, tjandakawana,” koleba Nsumikili, “Ndakati ndishanganya zwithu kuti ndibone tjimo tjazo, 28 shule kwe kushakisisa kanjinji, akuna tjandakawana. Ndakawana nlume nng'ompela pakati kwe tjiwulu (1 000) tje bathu, koga we tjikadzi pakati kwa bose ibabo ndakansheta. 29 Bonani, tjithu tjing'ompela tjandakawana ndikuti Ndzimu wakabumba nthu akalulwama, koga bathu banoshaka mano manjinji.”
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 ¶ 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 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 ¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 ¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: 22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things , and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: 26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: 28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. 29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.