Mlaliki 4
1 Ndinayangʼananso ndi kuona chipsinjo chimene chimachitika pansi pano: ndinaona misozi ya anthu opsinjika, ndipo iwo alibe owatonthoza; mphamvu zinali ndi anthu owapsinjawo ndipo iwonso analibe owatonthoza.
Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
2 Ndipo ndinanena kuti akufa, amene anafa kale, ndi osangalala kuposa amoyo, amene akanalibe ndi moyo.
I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
3 Koma wopambana onsewa ndi amene sanabadwe, amene sanaone zoyipa zimene chimachitika pansi pano.
But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
4 Ndipo ndinazindikira kuti ntchito zonse zolemetsa ndiponso ntchito zonse zaluso zimachitika chifukwa choti wina akuchitira nsanje mnzake. Izinso ndi zopandapake, nʼkungodzivuta chabe.
I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
5 Chitsiru chimangoti manja ake lobodo ndi kudzipha chokha ndi njala.
Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6 Nʼkwabwino kukhala ndi dzanja limodzi lodzaza uli pa mtendere, kuposa kukhala ndi manja awiri odzaza uli pa mavuto, ndipo uku nʼkungodzivuta chabe.
It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7 Ndinaonanso chinthu china chopanda phindu pansi pano:
Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
8 Panali munthu amene anali yekhayekha; analibe mwana kapena mʼbale. Ntchito yake yolemetsa sinkatha, ndipo maso ake sankakhutitsidwa ndi chuma chake. Iye anadzifunsa kuti, “Kodi ntchito yosautsayi ndikuyigwirira yani? Nanga nʼchifukwa chiyani ndikudzimana chisangalalo?” Izinso ndi zopandapake, zosasangalatsa!
What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
9 Kukhala awiri nʼkwabwino kuposa kukhala wekha, chifukwa ntchito ya anthu awiri ili ndi phindu:
Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
10 Ngati winayo agwa, mnzakeyo adzamudzutsa. Koma tsoka kwa munthu amene agwa ndipo alibe wina woti amudzutse!
If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
11 Komanso ngati anthu awiri agona malo amodzi, adzafunditsana. Koma nanga mmodzi angadzifunditse yekha?
In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
12 Munthu mmodzi angathe kugonjetsedwa, koma anthu awiri akhoza kudziteteza. Chingwe cha maulusi atatu sichidukirapo.
Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
13 Wachinyamata wosauka koma wanzeru aposa mfumu yokalamba koma yopusa imene simvanso malangizo.
A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
14 Wachinyamatayo angathe kuchokera ku ndende ndi kudzakhala mfumu, kapena angathe kubadwa wosauka mʼdziko la mfumuyo.
He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
15 Ndipo ndinaona kuti iwo onse amene anakhala ndi moyo ndi kuyenda pansi pano anatsatira wachinyamatayo, amene anatenga malo a mfumu.
I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
16 Mfumu ikhoza kulamulira anthu osawerengeka, komabe itamwalira, palibe amene adzayamikire zomwe mfumuyo inachita. Izinso ndi zopandapake, nʼkungozivuta chabe.
He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
