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.
1 Dhimbulukwa Omushiti gwoye momasiku guugundjuka woye, manga omasiku guudhigu inaage ya nomimvo inaadhi hedha ko, uuna to ka popya to ti: “Inandi dhi hokwa.” 2 Momasiku ngoka etango, omutenya, omwedhi noonyothi otadhi ka kala dha luudha, niikogo ohayi galuka konima yomvula. 3 Omasiku ngoka aalangeli yegumbo taa ka kakama, aalumentu aanankondo taa andalalithwa, aatsi taa zimbuka, oshoka oya ninga po aashona, naamboka taye entamene momakende taa kala momilema. 4 Omasiku ngoka omiyelo dha taalela omapandaanda, otadhi ka kala dhe edhilwa po, omuthindo gwokoshini ogwa shonopala, omuntu ota penduka po, ngele uudhila opo tau tameke okulila, nomawi agehe oga gogoma. 5 Omuntu ota kala a tila momitunda, nomondjila omu na iihaluthi. Omuti omumandeli tagu tsapuka oonsheno, oshipethipethi tashi ende tashi gaganyata, noonkuto dhoshihwa shokaperi itadhi eta we uuhalu wokulya.
Omuntu ota yi kegumbo lye lyaaluhe, naalilasa taye endaenda momapandaanda. 6 Ongodhi yoshisiliveli otayi tokoka, noshiyuma shoshingoli otashi tatuka. Oshiyuma shomeya otashi tatukile pomuthima, noshikweyitho otashi gwile monyombo. 7 Ontsi otayi shuna mevi, ngaashika ya li nale, nombepo otayi galukile kuKalunga, ngoka e yi gandjele.
8 Ayihe oyowala, omuuvithi ota ti, ayihe oyowalawala, owaleelela.
Engongo
9 Omuuvithi ka li ashike omunawino, okwa longo wo aantu uunongo, okwa dhiladhila e ta konakona, okwa tungu omayeletumbulo ogendji. 10 Omuuvithi okwa kongo a mone oohapu dho opala nodha nyolwa dhu uka, oohapu dhoshili. 11 Oohapu dhaanawino odha fa iishongitho nomatumbulo gawo oomboha dha dhengelwa muule; oga gandjwa kOmusita gumwe awike.
12 Naishewe, mumwandje, londodhwa kushika: okunyola omambo ogendji ihaku hulu, nokwiipyakidhila nokulesha unene ohaku lolokitha olutu.
13 Ekota lyaashihe shu uvika, olyo ndika: Tila Kalunga nou dhiginine iipango ye, oshoka aantu ayehe osho ye na okuninga. 14 Oshoka Kalunga ote eta iilonga ayihe mepangulo, ndyoka tali adha iinima ayihe ya holekwa, iiwanawa nenge iiwinayi.
