The Best in Life
1 A good reputation
at the time of death
is better than loving care
at the time of birth.
2 It's better to go to a funeral
than to attend a feast;
funerals remind us
that we all must die.
3 Choose sorrow over laughter
because a sad face
may hide a happy heart.
4 A sensible person mourns,
but fools always laugh.
5 Correction from someone wise
is better by far
than praise from fools.
6 Foolish laughter is stupid.
It sounds like thorns
crackling in a fire.
7 Corruption makes fools
of sensible people,
and bribes can ruin you.
8 Something completed is better
than something just begun;
patience is better
than too much pride.
9 Only fools get angry quickly
and hold a grudge.
10 It isn't wise to ask,
“Why is everything worse
than it used to be?”
11 Having wisdom is better
than an inheritance.
12 Wisdom will protect you
just like money;
knowledge with good sense
will lead you to life.
13 Think of what God has done!
If God makes something crooked,
can you make it straight?
14 When times are good,
you should be cheerful;
when times are bad,
think about what it means.
God makes them both
to keep us from knowing
what will happen next.
Some of Life's Questions
15 I have seen everything during this senseless life of mine. I have seen good citizens die for doing the right thing, while criminals live and prosper. 16 So don't destroy yourself by being too good or acting too smart! 17 Don't die before your time by being too evil or acting like a fool. 18 Keep to the middle of the road. You can do this if you truly respect God.
19 Wisdom will make you stronger than the ten most powerful leaders in your city.
20 No one in this world always does right.
21 Don't listen to everything that everyone says, or you might hear your servant cursing you. 22 Haven't you cursed many others?
23 I told myself that I would be smart and try to understand all this, but it was too much for me. 24 The truth is beyond us. It's far too deep. 25 So I decided to learn everything I could and become wise enough to discover what life is all about. At the same time, I wanted to understand why it's stupid and senseless to be an evil fool.
26 Here is what I discovered: A bad woman is worse than death. She is a trap, reaching out with body and soul to catch you. But if you obey God, you can escape. If you don't obey, you are done for. 27 With all my wisdom I have tried to find out how everything fits together, 28 but so far I have not been able to. I do know there is one good man in a thousand, but never have I found a good woman. 29 I did learn one thing: We were completely honest when God created us, but now we have twisted minds.
Kombinga yokukala kwomuntu
1 Edhina lya simana oli vule omugwayo gwa nika nawa, nesiku lyokusa oli vule esiku lyokuvalwa.
2 Okuya koshigumbo taku lilwa oosa oku vule okuya kegumbo li na oontselela, oshoka eso olyo ehulilo lyaantu ayehe, nomunamwenyo ote shi dhiladhila momutima gwe.
3 Okunika uupongo oku vule okuyola, oshoka oshipala ngele shi na oshizimbi, nena omwenyo ogu li nawa.
4 Omutima gwaanandunge otagu kala moshigumbo shoosa, manga omutima gwaagoya gu li megumbo lyenyanyu.
5 Okupulakena egando lyomunandunge oku vule okupulakena eimbilo lyomagoya.
6 Oshoka iikwekwela yaagoya oya fa omityotyomo dhomano taga pi kohi yombiga. Shika owaleelela.
7 Okwiihakanena iimaliwa otaku goyapaleke omunandunge, noombumbo otadhi nyateke omutima.
8 Ehulilo lyoshinima oli vule etameko lyasho.
Omutalanteni oku vule omwiinenepeki.
9 Ino uluma okugeya mombepo yoye, oshoka ondjahi ohayi kala meni lyegoya.
10 Ino tya: “Omasiku gonale oshike ga li omawanawa ge vule gongashingeyi?” Oshoka ito shi popi moondunge.
11 Owino ombwanawa ya fa uuthiga, oyo ekwatho lyaamboka ye na omwenyo. 12 Oshoka owino oyo egameno, ngaashi iimaliwa oyo egameno, ihe ekwatho lyuunongo olyo ndika — owino otayi gamene omwenyo gwamwene gwayo.
13 Tala iilonga yaKalunga, oshoka olye ta vulu okuutha shoka a shita sha goyoka?
14 Nyanyukwa esiku ewanawa, nomesiku lyiiponga dhimbulukwa kutya Kalunga okwe li shiti ngaashika ndiyaka; omuntu ke shi shi shoka tashi mu adha konakuyiwa.
15 Ayihe onde yi mono momasiku gandje gowala: oku na aayuuki mboka taa sile muuyuuki wawo noku na aakaanakalunga mboka taa kalele uukeenakalunga wawo olule. 16 Ino ninga omuyuuki unene ngoye ino imonitha omunawino wa tsa pombanda — omolwashike wa hala okuhula po? 17 Ino ninga omukeenakalunga unene noino ninga egoya — omolwashike to si po mbala esiku inaali thika? 18 Osho opala okudhiginina shimwe nokwaagamuka ko koshikwawo, oshoka ngoka ha tila Kalunga, ota henuka ayihe mbika.
19 Owino otayi koleke omunawino shi vule oofule omulongo ya kala moshilando.
20 Oshoka kombanda yevi kaku na omuyuuki ngoka ta longo uuwanawa auke ye ita yono.
21 Ino pulakena oohapu adhihe aantu taa popi, opo waa uve omupiya gwoye te ku tuku. 22 Oshoka omwenyo gwoye mwene ogwa tseya kutya oho tuku ooyakweni.
23 Ayihe mbika onde yi konakona nowino. Onda popi nda ti: “Onda hala ndi ninge omunawino,” ihe osha kala ndje kokule. 24 Onkalo yowino oyi li kokule nomuule unene, olye ta vulu oku yi pikula? 25 Momwenyo gwandje onda tameke okukonakona nokutedhatedha nokukonga owino, opo ndi tseye kutya uukeenakalunga owo uugoya, nuugoya owo okwaanandunge.
26 Onda mono sha oshilulululu shi vule eso, omukiintu. Oye omwigo, omutima gwe etavu niikaha ye oonkandja. Omwaanawa koshipala shaKalunga ota manguluka miikaha ye, ihe omulunde ote mu kwata po. 27 Eeno, osho shoka nde shi dhimbulula, omuuvithi a ti, sho nda kambadhala okuyeleka oshinima noshikwawo, ndi mone ehuku. 28 Shoka nde shi kongakonga, ihe inandi shi mona, osho shika: Maantu eyuvi onda mono mo omulumentu gumwe omunashili, ihe inandi mona mo omukiintu omunashili nando ogumwe momwaalu tuu ngoka. 29 Tala, onda mono ashike kutya Kalunga okwa shiti aantu aayuuki, ihe yo yene ohayi ikongele iihelele oyindji.
