1 M agac wanaagsanu waa ka sii fiican yahay saliid qaali ah, oo maalinta dhimashaduna waa ka fiican tahay maalinta dhalashada.

A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.

2 I n guriga diyaafadda la tago waxaa ka wanaagsan in guriga baroorashada la tago, waayo, taasaa dadka oo dhan u dambaysa, oo kuwa nooluna qalbigay taas gashan doonaan.

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.

3 Q osol waxaa ka wanaagsan murug, waayo, qalbigu wuxuu ku wanaagsanaadaa wejiga caloolxumadiisa.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

4 Q albiga kuwa xigmadda lahu wuxuu ku jiraa guriga baroorashada, laakiinse qalbiga nacasyadu wuxuu ku jiraa guriga farxadda.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

5 N in intuu nacasyada gabaygooda maqli lahaa waxaa ka wanaagsan inuu canaanta kuwa xigmadda leh maqlo.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

6 W aayo, qosolka nacasku waa sida qodxo dheri hoostiis ka jacjac leh, oo taasuna waa wax aan waxba tarayn.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.

7 H ubaal dulmigu nin xigmad leh wuu waalaa, oo laaluushkuna qalbiguu ka kharribaa.

Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.

8 W ax bilowgiisa waxaa ka wanaagsan dhammaadkiisa, oo kii dulqaadasho badanuna waa ka wanaagsan yahay kii kibir badan.

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

9 X anaaq ha ku degdegin, waayo, xanaaqu wuxuu ku jiraa laabta nacasyada.

Don’t be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.

10 H a odhan, Waayihii hore bal maxay kuwan uga fiicnaayeen? Waayo, xaalkan si caqliya u weyddiin maysid.

Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not ask wisely about this.

11 X igmaddu sida dhaxal oo kale ayay u wanaagsan tahay, oo waa u faa'iido kuwa qorraxda arka.

Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

12 W aayo, xigmaddu waxay wax u daafacdaa sida lacagtu wax u daafacdo oo kale, laakiinse aqoonta faa'iidadeedu waa in xigmaddu ay nabadgeliso kuwa iyada haysta.

For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

13 B al Ilaah shuqulkiisa ka fiirso, waayo, wixii uu isagu qalloociyey bal yaa toosin kara?

Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?

14 M aalintii aad barwaaqaysan tahay aad u faraxsanow, oo maalintii aad dhibaataysan tahayna aad u fiirso in Ilaah mid u sameeyey sida kan kale si uusan ninna u ogaan karin waxa isaga dabadiis jiri doona.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.

15 W axaa jira nin xaq ah oo xaqnimadiisa ku halligma iyo nin shar ah oo sharnimadiisa ku cimri dheeraada; labadaba wakhtigii aan waxtarka lahayn ee aan noolaa ayaan arkay.

All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

16 A ad xaq ha u noqon oo hana iska dhigin mid aad xigmad u leh, waayo, bal maxaad isu baabbi'inaysaa?

Don’t be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?

17 A ad sharrow ha u noqon, oo nacasna ha noqon, waayo, bal maxaad wedkaaga ka hor u dhimanaysaa?

Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?

18 W axaa kuu wanaagsan inaad tan xagsatid, oo aadan gacantaadana dib uga ceshan, waayo, kii Ilaah ka cabsada waxan oo dhan ayuu ka soo bixi doonaa.

It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that don’t withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come out of them all.

19 X igmaddu kan xigmadda leh way uga xoog badan tahay toban taliye oo magaalada jooga.

Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20 W aayo, dhulka laguma arag nin xaq ah oo wanaag fala, oo aan dembaabin.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn’t sin.

21 W ax kasta oo lagu hadlo ha dhegaysan, waaba intaasoo aad maqashaa addoonkaaga oo ku habaarayee.

Also don’t take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;

22 W aayo, marar badan ayaa qalbigaagu og yahay inaad adba saasoo kale u habaartid kuwo kale.

for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.

23 W axyaalahan oo dhan xigmad baan ku tijaabiyey. Waxaan is-idhi, Xigmad baan yeelan doonaa, laakiinse xigmaddii way iga fogayd.

All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me.

24 W aayo, bal yaa gaadhi kara wixii aad u fog ee mool dheer?

That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

25 W axaan qalbigayga oo dhan u diyaariyey oo u soo jeediyey inaan ogaado, oo baadho, oo aan doondoono xigmad iyo wax kasta sababtiisa, iyo inaan ogaado in sharnimadu tahay nacasnimo, iyo in doqonnimadu tahay waalli.

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

26 O o waxaan soo ogaaday wax xataa dhimashada ka sii qadhaadh, waana naag qalbigeedu yahay dabinno iyo shabagyo, oo ay gacmeheeduna yihiin jeebbooyin. Ku alla kii Ilaah ka farxiyo iyaduu ka baxsan doonaa, laakiinse dembilaha way qabsan doontaa.

I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.

27 W acdiyuhu wuxuu leeyahay, Bal eega, si aan sababta u garto ayaan midba mid ku daray oo waxaasaan soo helay.

“Behold, I have found this,” says the Preacher, “to one another, to find out the scheme;

28 O o weliba waan sii doondoonayaa, laakiinse ma aan helo. Kun nin dhexdood ayaan nin qudha ka helay, laakiinse kuwaas oo dhan xataa naag qudha kama helin.

which my soul still seeks; but I have not found. One man among a thousand have I found; but I have not found a woman among all those.

29 B al eeg, waxan keliya oo aan soo ogaaday in Ilaah binu-aadmiga sameeyey iyagoo qumman, laakiinse waxay doondooneen hindisooyin badan.

Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they search for many schemes.”