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.
Tavousu ta Ori rota
1 Liku kado orivoya para ndrani ido tägyi ŋgutruro drisi; ago tu odra ro orivoya kadopara ndrani tu 'di utiro ri. 2 Orivoya kadopara oyine 'ba ruṛuo'bero ya ndrani oyine 'ba karama onyaro ya ri; tana odra ni ädu lidri cini ro; ago ànya se lidriidriro ri ta 'do oyine drî ànyaro ya.
3 Tusu orivoya kadopara ndrani ugu ri, tana mi tusu ro ka di o'ba ni a'done riyä ro.
4 'Dise aza tavouni be ka iro alo ta odra ro usuna ayani oko amamai kayi iro alo ta riyä ro usuna ayani.
5 Ta drio'biro mano tavouni'ba ro erine orivoya kadopara ndrani amama ri mi räṛune loŋgo si ri.
6 Lägu ugu amamai ro orivoya oso kukyi kabe tuhwe asi ya lakaza zele ronye; 'do kpa orivoya taawi yi.
7 Endaro ta 'diocoro ka mano tavouni'ba o'bana a'done amama ro, ago ŋga miogyero ka 'di enjini.
8 Ädu ŋga cini ro orivoya kadopara ni etovona ri; ago yaiŋgyi orivoya kadopara ni driuŋgyi ri.
9 Miŋga ko ndri kyilaro, tana kyila ka ori ya mano se amama ro roya.
10 Nyeji ta ko mikye: “Ayi, ŋga a'do gwo tu kyeno kai ya kadopara ndrani tu yausi kwoi ya ri etaya?” Tana taeji nonye ono ko orivoya tavouni ro yi.
11 Tavouni orivoya ŋga kado yi oso drimbi ronye; 'do orivoya kandrakado yi 'dise cini lidriidri ro ri.
12 Tana tavouni ka 'di äti oso parata kabe 'di äti ronye, oko kandrakado tauni ro, ka tavouni'ba o'ba londroro.
13 Nyusu tase Lu koyebe ono tavona. A'di unina ni ŋgase Lu ko'babe torogo'diro ono lotone ŋgye ya? 14 Ondro ta kate ugu a'do kadoro miri oko, nya'do riyä si, ago ondro rriti kesate oko nyusu tavona, Lu kani riyä ndi rriti be ezina riti, tana 'diaza unina ko ŋgase ka oyebe a'done ndäri tu mileya ya unine.
15 Ori maro taawi ro ono ya, mandre ŋga cini te kigye, mano se ca taŋgye'ba ro ka odra, oko mano se ca takozi'ba ro ugu dri gi ori. 16 Nya'do ko takado'ba ro ndra, ago mi'ba andivo miro ko tavouni'ba ro ndra; tana e'di nya andivo miro ufuna niya? 17 Nya'do kpa ko takozi'ba ro ndra, kode nya'do kpa ko amama ro ndra, tana e'di mile odrane kyeno teinye tu miro ri osa ako niya? 18 Orivoya kado ta alodi ätine ago ko azana e'bene; tana mano se kabe Lu oro ätina ànya riti ndi kado.
19 Tavouni ka mano tavouni'ba o'ba a'done mbara ro ndrani 'bädri'bai 'butealo 'bakici ro drisi.
20 Endaro 'diaza alona i'do 'bädri ya se ka tase ŋgye oyena tu cini si ago se cu ye takozi ko alona.
21 Miga bi ko ŋgase cini lidri kabe tana atana iyi tana ya, ukyi nyeri ruindu'ba miro 'da mi lo'davoya; 22 tana andivo miro mini ṛote tuna amba nya'dote azi lo'davoya.
23 Tase cini ono mojo tana te tavouni si, tana makye male a'done tavouni be; oko tavouni a'do ṛo lozo ni maresi. 24 'Diaza unina takaci tavouni ro eŋwanyeya? Orivoya pari gyuru, orivoya rritiro ndra tana unine. 25 Oko mozo andivo maro te unine ago enane; tavouni uṛine ndi tadrioza ta azaka robe unine, ago ta takozi ndi amaama 'dise ŋgäbä ro ro tenyine.
26 Ago musu ŋga aza kpa kozipara ndrani odra ri, toko se ŋgalu na ka'di uru oso abari kode kyimba ronye; ago drì anyaro ka 'di baṛi oso nyori ronye. Mano se tana kusi Lu be opana vo ndi ni anya rigye, oko anya uruna 'dise takozi'ba ro ndi. 27 Mindre, ono ni tase musu vona be owo, ma Taope'ba mani ata nonye, musu tavo ŋga cini rote ba alo alo tana uniza, 28 mäṛivona te kpe kpe, oko musu kote, musu manoago alodi aza ndi ni kutu alo lakosi taŋgye be, oko musu toko alodi aza kote ni ànya cini lakosi taŋgye be. 29 Ono ni tase cini mänibe owo: Lu 'ba ama te kado, oko ma'ba andivo amaro ni a'done rritiro.