1 Keep your Creator in mind while you are young! In years to come, you will be burdened down with troubles and say, “I don't enjoy life anymore.”
2 Someday the light of the sun
and the moon and the stars
will all seem dim to you.
Rain clouds will remain
over your head.
3 Your body will grow feeble,
your teeth will decay,
and your eyesight fail.
4 The noisy grinding of grain
and the voices of singers
will be shut out
by your deaf ears,
but even the song of a bird
will keep you awake.
5 You will be afraid
to climb up a hill
or walk down a road.
Your hair will turn as white
as almond blossoms.
You will feel lifeless
and drag along
like an old grasshopper.
We each go to our eternal home,
and the streets here are filled
with those who mourn.
6 The silver cord snaps,
the golden bowl breaks;
the water pitcher is smashed,
and the pulley at the well
is shattered.
7 So our bodies return
to the earth,
and the life-giving breath
returns to God.
8 Nothing makes sense.
I have seen it all—
nothing makes sense.
Respect and Obey God
9 I was a wise teacher with much understanding, and I collected a number of proverbs that I had carefully studied. 10 Then I tried to explain these things in the best and most accurate way.
11 Words of wisdom are like the stick a farmer uses to make animals move. These sayings come from a shepherd, and they are like nails that fasten things together. 12 My child, I warn you to stay away from any teachings except these.
There is no end to books,
and too much study
will wear you out.
13 Everything you were taught can be put into a few words:
Respect and obey God!
This is what life
is all about.
14 God will judge
everything we do,
even what is done in secret,
whether good or bad.
1 I hakiloo si bula i Daamansoo la,
i la fondinkeeyaa tiloolu la,
janniŋ i la bataa tiloolu ka naa,
aniŋ saŋolu mennu ka i waliŋ naŋ,
i be a fo la mennu la ko,
“M maŋ niiseewoo soto ì kono.”
2 I hakiloo ye bula a la,
janniŋ tiloo maloo,
karoo maloo,
aniŋ looloo maloo be dibi la,
janniŋ tawaloolu ka muru naŋ, sanjiyo koolaa.
3 I hakiloo ye bula a la,
janniŋ waatoo ka sii,
waatoo meŋ,
bundaa kantalaalu be jarajara la,
kee bambandiŋolu koo be ŋoobi la,
tuurilaalu be tuuroo bula la,
kaatu dantaŋ doroŋ ne be tara la ì kono,
waatoo meŋ,
palanteeri yoofiirilaalu la jeroo
be dibi la.
4 I hakiloo ye bula a la,
janniŋ waatoo ka sii,
waatoo meŋ,
mbeedito bundaalu be soroŋ na,
tuuri kumakaŋo be deyi la.
Waatoo meŋ,
moo ka wuli kunoolu kuma waatoo,
bari ì denkili kaŋo moyoo ka koleyaa a bulu.
5 I hakiloo ye bula a la,
janniŋ waatoo ka sii,
waatoo meŋ,
moo ka sila seloo la,
aduŋ siloo kaŋ fanaa,
sondome silaŋ kuwolu le be tara la jee,
waatoo meŋ,
alimondi* yiroo be tara la faariŋ firoolu la,
jatatoŋo be kuruntu la,
hame kuwolu bee si yomfa.
Hadamadiŋo fele,
a ka taa a la suu labaŋo to,
saŋakumboolaalu ye tara
mbeedoolu kaŋ taariŋ.
6 I hakiloo ye bula i Daamansoo la,
janniŋ waatoo ka sii,
waatoo meŋ,
kodiforo ceenoo be kuntu la,
sani booloo be kasaara la,
dumboo be teyi la koloŋo to,
julusabaraŋ tiñaariŋo be joloŋ na koloŋo kono,
7 bankumunkoo be muru la bankoo kaŋ,
a bota meŋ bala,
niyo be muru la Alla kaŋ,
meŋ ye a dii.
8 Kawandilaa ko,
“Feŋ na feŋ te,
a bee le maŋ ke feŋ ti.”
Kuma labaŋo
9 Ñiŋ Kawandilaa, a maŋ daŋ ñaameŋo doroŋ na, a ka londoo fanaa dii moolu la le. A ye kuwolu peesa le, a ye kisikisiroo ke, a naata kuma kotoomaalu jamaa tembendi. 10 Ñiŋ Kawandilaa ye a kata baake le ka kuma diimaalu ñini, aduŋ a ye mennu safee, tooñaa kumoolu le mu.
11 Moo ñaamendiŋo la kumakaŋolu ka moo kenkeŋ ne ko kantarilaŋ dokoo. A la kuma kotoomaalu mulunta le ko peruu meluŋolu. Kumoolu ñiŋ bota Kantarilaa doo le bulu. 12 N diŋo, dandalaaroo fele, ñiŋ kumoolu koolaa, fata karandiri koteŋolu ma. Kitaaboo safewo maŋ dandulaa soto, aduŋ karaŋ baa, a ka balajaatoo batandi le.
13 A bee moyiriŋo koolaa,
kuwo ñiŋ kumfaaraŋo fele:
Sila Alla la,
i ye a la yaamaroolu muta.
Ñiŋ ne mu hadamadiŋo kekuwo ti.
14 Baara-wo-baara,
Alla be a bee landi la,
kiitii kenoo to le,
hani mennu tarata nukuŋo to,
a kende to baŋ,
waraŋ a jawumaa to.
