Eklesiastes 2
1 Ne aparo e chunya niya, “Bi sani, abiro temi gi gik ma moro wangʼ mondo afwenyie gima ber.” To mano bende ne ayudo kaonge tiende.
I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
2 Ne awacho niya, “Nyiero en fuwo kendo en angʼo ma mor makamano konyo?”
I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
3 Ne atemo bedo mamor kuom madho kongʼo, kendo bedo mofuwo, ka pacha pod telona gi rieko. Ne adwaro fwenyo ni en angʼo mowinjore mondo ji otim e bwo polo e ndalo matin mar ngimani.
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
4 Ne achako tije madongo kaka: Ne agero ute ne an awuon kendo apidho mzabibu e puothe.
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
5 Kendo ne aloso puothe mamoko kod puothe mopidhie yiende mar yweyo mi apidho kit olembe mopogore opogore eigi.
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
6 Ne akunyo yewni ma pi gudore mondo yiendego oyud pi.
I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
7 Ne angʼiewo jotich machwo kod mamon kendo ne an gi jotije mamoko mane onywol e oda. Bende ne an gi kweth mangʼeny mag dhok kod rombe moloyo ngʼato angʼata mane okuongona bedo jatelo e Jerusalem.
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
8 Ne achoko fedha gi dhahabu, kod girkeni mag ruodhi gi gwenge. Ne abedo bende gi jower machwo kod mamon, kendo gi mon duto mane nyalo moro chuny dichwo.
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
9 Ne abedo ngʼama lich miwuoro moloyo ngʼato angʼata mane okuongona bedo jatelo e Jerusalem. E magi duto riekona matut nosiko koda.
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
10 Ne ok atuono wangʼa gimoro amora mane onyalo gombo, kendo chunya bende ne ok atuono mor. Chunya nobedo gi mor kuom tijena duto mane atimo, kendo mano ema nobedo pok mar tijena duto.
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 To kata kamano kane anono duto mane lweta osetiyo kod gino mane asenyagora mondo ayudi, gik moko duto ne onge tiendgi, mana kalawo bangʼ yamo; onge ohala mane ayudo e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ.
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
12 Bangʼe ne aketo pacha mondo angʼe pogruok manie kind rieko, memruok kod fuwo. En angʼo ma ruoth mokawo kar ruoth machielo nyalo timo moloyo mano mosetim?
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
13 Ne afwenyo ni rieko matut ber moloyo fuwo, mana kaka ler ber moloyo mudho.
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
14 Ngʼatno man-gi rieko neno kuma odhiye, to ngʼama ofuwo to wuotho e mudho, to kata kamano ne afwenyo ni gimoro achiel ema timore ni ji ariyogi.
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
15 Eka ne aparo e chunya niya, “Gima yudo ngʼama ofuwo biro yuda an bende. Koro en ohala mane ma abiro yudo kuom bedo gi rieko?” Bangʼe ne awacho e chunya niya, “Kata mana ma bende onge tiende.”
So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
16 Mana kaka ngʼama ofuwo ok par, e kaka ngʼama nigi rieko bende ok par; nikech e ndalo mabiro ok nopargi giduto. Ngʼama ofuwo gi ngʼama riek, giduto gibiro tho machalre!
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
17 Omiyo ne asin gi ngima, nikech tich mitimo e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ ne pek mohewa. Magi duto onge tiendgi, gichalo gi lawo bangʼ yamo.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
18 Ne asin gi gik moko duto mane asenyagora godo e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ, nikech nyaka ne awegi ne ngʼatno mabiro bangʼa.
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
19 To ere ngʼama ongʼeyo ni ngʼat mabiro luwano nobed ngʼama ofuwo kata ngʼama riek? Kata obed mariek kata mofuwo, to obiro kawo gimoro amora mane aloso gi lucha. Ma bende ne ayudo ni onge tiende.
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
20 Omiyo chunya nochako hum nono kuom tije duto mane asenyagorago e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ.
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
21 Nimar dhano nyalo tiyo tije gi rieko, gi ngʼeyo kod lony mar tich, to bangʼe nyaka owe gik moko duto ma en godo ne ngʼato nono mane ok otiyo tijego. Ma bende onge tiende kendo en hawi marach miwuoro.
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
22 En angʼo ma ngʼato yudo kuom tije matek motimo e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ?
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
23 Ndaloge duto mag tich en lit gi kuyo; kata mana gotieno pache onge gi kwe. Ma bende ne ayudo ni onge tiende.
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
24 Onge gima ber ma dhano nyalo timo moloyo chiemo kod metho mi oyud mor e tije. Ma bende, aneno ni oa mana e lwet Nyasaye.
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
25 Nikech ka ok en Nyasaye, to en ngʼa manyalo chiemo kendo yudo mor?
For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
26 Ngʼatno ma Nyasaye morgo, omiyo rieko, ngʼeyo kod mor, to jaricho omiyo tich mar choko kendo kano mwandu mondo omi ngʼatno ma Nyasaye morgo. Ma bende ne ayudo ni onge tiende, mana ka ngʼama lawo bangʼ yamo.
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
