1A 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. 3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.7.3 Sorrow: or, Anger 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.7.6 crackling: Heb. sound
7¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.7.10 wisely: Heb. out of wisdom
11¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.7.11 good…: or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too 12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.7.12 defence: Heb. shadow 13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14In 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.7.14 set: Heb. made 15All 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. 16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?7.16 destroy…: Heb. be desolate? 17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?7.17 before…: Heb. not in thy time? 18It 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. 19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:7.21 take…: Heb. give not thine heart 22For 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. 24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25I 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:7.25 I applied…: Heb. I and mine heart compassed 26And 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.7.26 whoso…: Heb. he that is good before God 27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:7.27 counting…: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason 28Which 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. 29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Ũũgĩ
17:1 Thim 22:1; Ayub 10:18Nĩ kaba rĩĩtwa rĩega gũkĩra maguta marĩa manungi wega,
na mũthenya wa gũkua gũkĩra mũthenya wa gũciarwo.
2Nĩ kaba gũthiĩ nyũmba ĩrĩ na macakaya
gũkĩra gũthiĩ nyũmba ĩrĩ na ndĩa,
nĩgũkorwo gĩkuũ nĩkĩo mũthia wa andũ othe;
nao andũ arĩa marĩ muoyo nĩmakĩige ũndũ ũcio ngoro-inĩ ciao.
37:3 Thim 14:13Nĩ kaba kĩeha gũkĩra mĩtheko,
tondũ gũtuka gĩthiithi nĩgũtũmaga ngoro yagĩre.
47:4 Jer 16:8Ngoro cia andũ arĩa oogĩ irũmbũyagia nyũmba ĩrĩ na macakaya,
no ngoro cia andũ arĩa akĩĩgu irũmbũyagia nyũmba ĩrĩ na ikeno.
57:5 Thim 15:31-32Nĩ kaba kũigua irũithia rĩa mũndũ ũrĩa mũũgĩ,
gũkĩra gũthikĩrĩria rwĩmbo rwa andũ arĩa akĩĩgu.
6O ta ũrĩa mĩigua ĩtũratũrĩkaga ĩrĩ rungu rwa nyũngũ,7:6 Mwaki wa mĩigua o na watũratũrĩka ndũrĩ ũrugarĩ wa kũigana hĩndĩ ya heho.
no taguo mĩtheko ya andũ arĩa akĩĩgu ĩtariĩ.
Ũndũ ũyũ o naguo no wa tũhũ.
77:7 Thaam 18:21Ũhinyanĩrĩria ũtũmaga mũndũ mũũgĩ akĩĩge,
narĩo ihaki rĩgathũkia ngoro.
87:8 Thim 14:29Nĩ kaba kĩrĩkĩrĩro kĩa ũndũ gũkĩra kĩambĩrĩria kĩaguo,
na gũkirĩrĩria nĩ kwega gũkĩra mwĩtĩĩo.
97:9 Math 5:22; Thim 14:29Tigaga kũhiũha kũrakara na ngoro yaku,
nĩ ũndũ marakara maikaraga ngoro-inĩ cia andũ arĩa akĩĩgu.
10Ndũkoorie atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmaga matukũ ma tene makorwo marĩ mega gũkĩra maya?”
Nĩgũkorwo ti ũũgĩ kũũria ũguo.
11Ũũgĩ, o ta igai, nĩ mwega
na nĩũteithagia arĩa marĩ muoyo.
12Ũũgĩ nĩ mwĩgitio,
o ta ũrĩa mbeeca irĩ mwĩgitio,
no rĩrĩ, wega wa ũmenyi maũndũ nĩ ũyũ:
atĩ ũũgĩ nĩũtũũragia ũrĩa ũrĩ naguo muoyo.
137:13 Koh 1:15Ta cũrania ũrĩa Ngai ekĩte:
Kĩrĩa ogometie-rĩ,
nũũ ũngĩhota gũkĩrũnga?
147:14 Ayub 1:21Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa mahinda marĩ mega, kenaga;
no rĩrĩ, rĩrĩa mahinda magũthũũkĩra, ũririkanage atĩrĩ:
Ngai nĩwe ũtũmaga
maũndũ macio meerĩ matwarane.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũndũ ndarĩ ũndũ angĩmenya
wĩgiĩ mũtũũrĩre wake wa thuutha-inĩ.
157:15 Koh 8:12-14; Jer 12:1Mũtũũrĩre-inĩ ũyũ wakwa wa tũhũ, nĩnyonete maũndũ maya meerĩ:
mũndũ mũthingu no akue o na arĩ mũthingu,
nake mũndũ mwaganu agatũũra muoyo ihinda iraaya o na arĩ mwaganu.
16Tiga gũthinga makĩria,
o na kana kũũhĩga makĩria:
ũkwenda kwĩniina nĩkĩ?
177:17 Ayub 15:32Tiga kwagana makĩria,
kana gũkĩĩga:
ũkwenda gũkua hĩndĩ yaku ĩtakinyĩte nĩkĩ?
18Nĩ wega kũrũmia ũndũ ũmwe,
na ndũkarekie ũcio ũngĩ.
Mũndũ ũrĩa mwĩtigĩri-Ngai nĩetheemaga maũndũ macio meerĩ.
197:19 Koh 2:13; Thim 8:14Ũũgĩ wĩkĩraga mũndũ mũũgĩ hinya,
agakĩra aathani ikũmi marĩ itũũra-inĩ inene.
207:20 2Maũ 6:36; Thim 20:9Gũtirĩ mũndũ mũthingu gũkũ thĩ,
ũrĩa wĩkaga o wega mũtheri na ndehagia.
217:21 Thim 30:10Ndũgathikagĩrĩrie ũrĩa wothe andũ maraaria,
tondũ wahota kũigua ndungata yaku ĩgĩkũruma:
22nĩgũkorwo ngoro-inĩ yaku nĩũũĩ
atĩ mahinda maingĩ wee mwene wanaruma andũ arĩa angĩ.
23Maũndũ macio mothe ndamatuĩririe na ũũgĩ, ngiuga atĩrĩ,
“Nĩnduĩte itua rĩa kũgĩa na ũũgĩ.”
No rĩrĩ, ũndũ ũcio warĩ kũraya na niĩ.
247:24 Ayub 28:12O ũndũ ũrĩa wothe ũngĩtuĩka nĩguo, ũũgĩ-rĩ,
nĩũraihĩrĩirie mũno na nĩmũhithe makĩria:
nũũ ũngĩũmenya?
257:25 Ayub 28:3; Koh 1:17Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ngĩhũndũra meciiria makwa harĩ ũmenyi,
na gũtuĩria, na kũmaatha ũũgĩ, na mũtabarĩre wa maũndũ
na ndaũkĩrwo nĩ ũkĩĩgu wa waganu,
na ũgũrũki wa ũrimũ.
267:26 Thaam 10:7; Thim 5:3-5Ningĩ ngĩona ũndũ mũrũrũ gũkĩra gĩkuũ,
naguo nĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũrĩa ũhaana ta mũtego,
o ũrĩa ngoro yake ĩhaana mũtego wa kũgwatia,
namo moko make makahaana ta mĩnyororo.
Mũndũ ũrĩa ũkenagia Ngai nĩakehonokia harĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio,
no mũndũ ũrĩa mwĩhia nĩakagwatio nĩwe.
27Mũrutani ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Ũndũ ũyũ nĩguo menyete:
“Ngĩringithania ũndũ ũmwe na ũrĩa ũngĩ nĩguo menye mũtabarĩre wa maũndũ-rĩ,
287:28 1Ath 11:3o ngĩethaga ũguo
na ndione-rĩ:
Nĩndonire mũndũ mũrũme ũmwe mũrũngĩrĩru harĩ arũme ngiri,
no ndionire mũndũ-wa-nja o na ũmwe mũrũngĩrĩru thĩinĩ wao othe.
29Ũndũ ũyũ noguo nyonete:
Ngai oombire mũndũ arĩ mũrũngĩrĩru,
no andũ nĩmecarĩirie maũndũ maingĩ ma wara.”
