1 So remember your Creator while you are still young, before those dismal days and years come when you will say, “I don't enjoy life.” 2 That is when the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars will grow dim for you, and the rain clouds will never pass away. 3 Then your arms, that have protected you, will tremble, and your legs, now strong, will grow weak. Your teeth will be too few to chew your food, and your eyes too dim to see clearly. 4 Your ears will be deaf to the noise of the street. You will barely be able to hear the mill as it grinds or music as it plays, but even the song of a bird will wake you from sleep. 5 You will be afraid of high places, and walking will be dangerous. Your hair will turn white; you will hardly be able to drag yourself along, and all desire will be gone.
We are going to our final resting place, and then there will be mourning in the streets. 6 The silver chain will snap, and the golden lamp will fall and break; the rope at the well will break, and the water jar will be shattered. 7 Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us.
8 Useless, useless, said the Philosopher. It is all useless.
The Summing Up
9 But because the Philosopher was wise, he kept on teaching the people what he knew. He studied proverbs and honestly tested their truth. 10 The Philosopher tried to find comforting words, but the words he wrote were honest. 11 The sayings of the wise are like the sharp sticks that shepherds use to guide sheep, and collected proverbs are as lasting as firmly driven nails. They have been given by God, the one Shepherd of us all.
12 My child, there is something else to watch out for. There is no end to the writing of books, and too much study will wear you out.
13 After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for. 14 God is going to judge everything we do, whether good or bad, even things done in secret.
Dimbulukwa Omushiti woye mounyasha woye
1 Ndele dimbulukwa Omushiti woye momafiku ounyasha woye, fimbo omafiku mai inae uya, nomido tadi uya, odo ove to di popi, to ti: “Odo inadi wapalela nge.” 2 Fimbo etango nouyelele nohani, neenyofi inadi laula noilemo eshi tai aluka konima yodula, 3 fimbo efiku tuu olo inali uya, ovanangeli vongulu tava kakama, novalumenhu ve neenghono tava ende omwoodimba, novatwi va efa okutwa, shaashi va ninga vanini, naava hava talele momakende, ove li momulaulu, 4 fimbo oivelo ya ama kepandavanda tai ka idilwa po, fimbo omifindo domoshini tadi ninipala. Ndele ye ta penduka, oudila eshi tava hovele okukwena neendaka adishe deimbilo da mwena. 5 Ye ota ka kala e noumbada molwoikulundudu noitilifa i li mondjila. Nomuti waamandel tau piti eenhemo, noshipaxu tashi lishilile komesho noudjuu, oshimbodi shakapper itashi pendula vali ouhalu. Osheshi omunhu ta i keumbo laye laalushe, noonakulila eefya tava endaenda momapandavanda, 6 fimbo ongodi yoshisiliveli inai tokoka noshiyuma shoshingoldo inashi tatuka, noshitoo shopofifiya inashi tatuka noluvalakuulu la tekauka ndele la wila mo mondungu, 7 fimbo ondwi inai shuna medu ngaashi ya li ko, nomhepo inai shuna kuKalunga, ou e i mu pele. 8 Aishe oyongaho, Omuudifi ta ti, aishe oyongahoelela.
Tila Kalunga u diinine oipango yaye
9 Ndele ponho younongo Omuudifi, ye okwa longa ovanhu okushiiva, nokwa diladila ndele a konakona nokwa tunga omayeletumbulo mahapu. 10 Omuudifi okwa hetekela okumona eendjovo da wapala, da shangwa da yuka, eendjovo doshili. 11 Eendjovo dovalumenhu ovanamayele odi li ngaashi oivela neendjovo da ongelwa odi li ngaashi eembosha da dengelwa mokule, adishe da yandjwa kOmufita umwe auke. 12 Natango: “Omumwange, kala oupafi. Okushanga omikanda dihapu kaku nexulilo; nokulipyakidila unene mokulesha otaku lolokifa olutu.”
13 Efina loinima aishe twe i uda oleli: Tila Kalunga u diinine oipango yaye. Osheshi omunhu keshe osho e nokuninga. 14 Osheshi Kalunga ota alula keshe oshilonga ketokolo, olo tali uya kombada yoinima aishe ya holekwa, iwa naii.
