1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him , and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. 5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. 7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16 ¶ Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 ¶ By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
19 ¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things .
20 ¶ Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
1 Ozonḓe nḓa koka ze worisa naze zunḓa omaze omavawa monya; nouyova ouṱiṱi u nomasa pounongo na pondjozikiro.
2 Omutima wonongo u mu twara kousemba, nu imbwi weyova u mu twara kombandjarero. 3 Nandarire eyova tji mari kayenda mondjira ri raisa kutja kari nozondunge; ri tjivisa kovandu avehe kutja oro eyova.
4 Omuhona woye tje ku pindikire, o isa oviungura vyoye; orondu ozondataiziro ozonene ze isirwa tji wa porimana.
5 Pe nouvi mbu mba muna mouye, ondataiziro ndji tjitwa i ovanauvara: 6 Ovandu omayova ve zikwa motuveze otunanḓengu twounane, imba ovatumbe ngunda ave tuwa motuveze twokehi. 7 Ami mba muna ovakarere mbaa ve kavire oukambe, ozohivirikwa ngunda aaze ka wondja pehi otja ovakarere.
8 Ngu ma se otjitoto ma wire mu tjo; nu ingwi ngu ma haṋa orumbo ma rumatwa i onyoka. 9 Ngu ma teya omawe ma hihamisiwa i wo; ngu ma ke ozonguṋe ma yenene okumuna otjipo. 10 Ekuva roye tji ri ri eṱi, nove tji u hi nokuriupika, mo ungura nomasa tjinene komeho; nungwari okutenga okuripura oko ounongo. 11 Onyoka tji ya rumata ngunda ai hiya worerwa, inga omaworero kaye nombatero. 12 Omambo nge hungirwa i omundu onongo ye mu etera otjari, nungwari omundu eyova u nyonwa i omambo we omuini. 13 Eye u uta okuhungira omambo wouyova na kayanda ama hungire omambo wovizeze. 14 Eyova ri nyomborora tjinene; kape na ngu tjiwa kutja mape katjitwa tjike moruveze ndu maru ya; nu kape na ngu ma serekarerere indi eyova imbi mbi mavi katjitwa kombunda yonḓiro yaro.
15 Ovandu omayova ve muna oviungura ovizeu mbi ve putauza; ingwi ngu hi nokutjiwa ondjira kamaa sora okuyenda kotjihuro.
16 O wee kove, hi, tji u nombara ndji ri otja okanatje, nu tji u nozohivirikwa nḓe tjita omikandi omuhuka omunene! 17 Omuṋingandu ove, hi, tji mo kara nombara oingona, nu tji u nozohivirikwa nḓe rya omariro wawo moruveze orusemba kutja ve hare omasa, nokutja ave he ripurukisa oveni nomavinu.
18 Omundu tje notjirweyo tjinene okuṱuna omututu wondjuwo ye, owo mau roko nu ondjuwo mai wire.
19 Omikandi vi tjitirwa ombyarero, omavinu owo omayorokise wehupiro, nu ovimariva ombi eta oviṋa mbi avihe.
20 O sengi ombara nangarire momeripuriro woye, nu o yamba ko omutumbe nangarire tji u ri metuwo roye romara, tjapo ozonḓera zeyuru ngaaze twara ombuze, naze karaera ovandu imbi ove mbi wa hungire.
