Ecclesiastes 10 – NIRV & LCB

New International Reader’s Version

Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

1Dead flies give perfume a bad smell.

And a little foolishness can make a lot of wisdom useless.

2The hearts of wise people lead them on the right path.

But the hearts of foolish people take them down the wrong path.

3Foolish people don’t have any sense at all.

They show everyone they are foolish.

They do it even when they are walking along the road.

4Suppose a ruler gets very angry with you.

If he does, don’t quit your job in the palace.

Being calm can overcome what you have done against him.

5Here’s something evil I’ve seen on this earth.

And it’s the kind of mistake that rulers make.

6Foolish people are given many important jobs.

Rich people are given unimportant ones.

7I’ve seen slaves on horseback.

I’ve also seen princes who were forced to walk as if they were slaves.

8Anyone who digs a pit might fall into it.

Anyone who breaks through a wall might be bitten by a snake.

9Anyone who removes stones from rock pits might get hurt.

Anyone who cuts logs might get wounded.

10Suppose the blade of an ax is dull.

And its edge hasn’t been sharpened.

Then more effort is needed to use it.

But skill will bring success.

11Suppose a snake bites before it is charmed.

Then the snake charmer receives no payment.

12Wise people say gracious things.

But foolish people are destroyed by what their own lips speak.

13At first what they say is foolish.

In the end their words are very evil.

14They talk too much.

No one knows what lies ahead.

Who can tell someone else what will happen after they are gone?

15The work foolish people do makes them tired.

They don’t even know the way to town.

16How terrible it is for a land whose king used to be a servant!

How terrible if its princes get drunk in the morning!

17How blessed is the land whose king was born into the royal family!

How blessed if its princes eat and drink at the proper time!

How blessed if they eat and drink to become strong and not to get drunk!

18When a person won’t work, the roof falls down.

Because of hands that aren’t busy, the house leaks.

19People laugh at a dinner party.

And wine makes life happy.

People think money can buy everything.

20Don’t say bad things about the king.

Don’t even think about those things.

Don’t curse rich people.

Don’t even curse them in your bedroom.

A bird might fly away and carry your words.

It might report what you said.

Luganda Contemporary Bible

Omubuulizi 10:1-20

Omugezi n’Omusirusiru

110:1 Nge 13:16; 18:2Nga ensowera enfu bwe zoonoona akaloosa akawunya obulungi,

bwe katyo akasobyo akatono bwe koonoona amagezi n’ekitiibwa.

2Omutima gw’omuntu ow’amagezi gumukozesa ekituufu,

naye ogw’omusirusiru gumutwala kukola bitasaana.

310:3 Nge 13:16; 18:2Ne bw’aba ng’atambula,

amanyibwa nga talina magezi,

era buli amulaba agamba nti musirusiru.

410:4 a Mub 8:3 b Nge 16:14; 25:15Mukama wo bw’akunyiigiranga,

tomulaganga busungu;

okuddamu n’eggonjebwa kukyusa ekiruyi.

5Ekibi ekirala kye nalaba,

kye kikwata ku nsobi y’omufuzi:

610:6 Nge 29:2nalaba ng’abasirusiru baweebwa ebifo ebisava,

naye ng’abagagga bo baweebwa ebyo ebya wansi.

710:7 Nge 19:10Ate nalaba ng’abaddu beebagala embalaasi,

songa abalangira batambuza bigere ng’abaddu.

810:8 a Zab 7:15; 57:6; Nge 26:27 b Es 2:23; Zab 9:16; Am 5:19Asima ekinnya alikigwamu,

n’oyo amenya ekisenge omusota gulimubojja.

910:9 Nge 26:27Oyo ayasa amayinja gamulumya,

n’oyo ayasa enku zimulumya.

10Embazzi bwe tebaako bwogi,

n’etewagalwa,

agitemya ateekwa okufuba ennyo,

naye obumanyirivu bwe buwangula.

1110:11 Zab 58:5; Is 3:3Omusota bwe guluma nga tegunnakola bya bufuusa,

omufuusa talina kyafunamu.

1210:12 a Nge 10:32 b Nge 10:14; 14:3; 15:2; 18:7Ebigambo ebiva mu kamwa k’omuntu ow’amagezi bya muwendo nnyo eri abo ababiwulira,

naye akamwa k’omusirusiru kamusuula mu ntata.

13Entandikwa y’ebigambo bye nga temuli nsa,

ne ku nkomerero yaabyo biba mususa.

1410:14 a Nge 15:2; Mub 5:3; 6:12; 8:7 b Mub 9:1Omusirusiru asavuwaza ebigambo.

Tewali amanyi birijja,

kale ani asobola okumubuulira ebiribaawo oluvannyuma lwe?

15Omusirusiru aterebuka mangu olw’ekitamugendedde bulungi,

n’abulwa n’ekkubo erimutwala mu kibuga.

1610:16 Is 3:4-5, 12Zikusanze gw’ensi kabaka bw’aba nga yali muddu,

nga n’abalangira bakeera kwetamiirira!

1710:17 Ma 14:26; 1Sa 25:36; Nge 31:4Olina omukisa gw’ensi kabaka wo bw’aba nga wa lulyo lulangira,

ate nga n’abalangira bo bamanyi ekiseera eky’okuliiramu,

olw’okufuna amaanyi so si lwa kutamiira.

1810:18 Nge 20:4; 24:30-34Obugayaavu buleetera akasolya k’ennyumba okutonnya,

n’emikono egitayagala kukola gireetera ennyumba okutonnya.

1910:19 Lub 14:18; Bal 9:13Ekijjulo kikolebwa lwa kusanyuka,

ne wayini yeeyagaza obulamu,

naye ensimbi y’esobola byonna.

2010:20 Kuv 22:28Tokolimira kabaka mu mutima gwo

newaakubadde okukolimira omugagga mu kisenge kyo,

kubanga ennyonyi ey’omu bbanga eyinza okwetikka ebigambo byo

nga biwandiikiddwa ku biwaawaatiro byayo n’ebibatuusaako.