< Ecclesiastes 12 >
1 Remember your Creator while you are young, before days of trouble come and you grow old, saying, “I'm not enjoying life anymore.”
Ya mere, cheta Onye kere gị mgbe ị ka bụ okorobịa, tupu ụbọchị ọjọọ ndị ahụ abịa, na mgbe afọ aka abịarubeghị mgbe ị ga-asị, “Ha anaghị atọkwa m ụtọ.”
2 Before the light fades—sun, moon, and stars—and rain clouds return to darken the skies.
Tupu anyanwụ na ìhè, ọnwa na kpakpando ga-agba ọchịchịrị, na nlọghachi igwe ojii mgbe mmiri zosiri.
3 Before the guards of the house tremble and the strong men are bent over, the grinders stop working because there are only a few left, and the ones looking through the windows only see dimly,
Mgbe ndị na-echebe ụlọ ga-ama jijiji, mgbe ndị dimkpa nwoke ga-ehulata, mgbe ndị na-akwọ ihe kwụsịrị maka ha dị ole na ole, mgbe ndị na-elepụ anya site nʼoghere ga-ebido ịgba ọchịchịrị,
4 and the doors to the street are shut. Before the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and you wake up early when the birds are singing, but you can hardly hear them.
mgbe e mechiri ọnụ ụzọ nke pụrụ nʼokporoụzọ, mgbe olu ịkwọ nri ga-adị ala, mgbe ụda olu abụ ụmụ nnụnụ ga-akpọte ndị mmadụ, ma abụ ha niile na-ala ala,
5 Before you develop a fear of heights and worry about going out on the streets; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper crawls along, and desire fails, for everyone has to go to their eternal home as the mourners go up and down the street.
mgbe ndị mmadụ ga-atụ egwu ebe dị elu; na ihe egwu nke okporoụzọ, mgbe osisi alụmọnd ga-ama ifuru mgbe ụkpana ga na-adọkpụ onwe ya nʼụzọ, agụụ ihe ọbụla ga-akwụsịkwa. Mgbe ahụ, ndị mmadụ ga-ala ụlọ ebighị ebi ya, ndị na-akwa akwa ga na-agagharị nʼokporoụzọ niile.
6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken; before the water jug is smashed at the spring, or the pulley is broken at the well.
E, cheta ya, tupu e gbubie ụdọ ọlaọcha ahụ, tupu e tiwaa ọkwa ọlaedo, tupu ite adawaa nʼisi iyi, tupu e tijie ụkwụ igwe olulu mmiri.
7 Then the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
Mgbe ahụ, anụ ahụ anyị ga-alaghachi nʼaja ebe o si pụta; mmụọ anyị ga-alaghachikwuru Chineke onye nyere ya.
8 “Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
“Ihe efu! Ihe efu!” ka onye ozizi kwuru. “Ihe niile bụ ihe efu!”
9 Not only was the Teacher a wise man, he also taught what he knew to others. He thought about many proverbs, studying them and arranging them.
Ọ bụghị naanị nʼonye ozizi ahụ bụ onye maara ihe, o jegharịrị na-ezi ndị mmadụ ihe ọ maara. Ọ tụgharịrị uche chọpụta ọtụtụ ilu, detuokwa ha nʼusoro.
10 The Teacher looked for the best way to explain things, writing truthfully and honestly.
Onye ozizi chọpụtara okwu ndị dabanyere nʼusoro, ihe o depụtara bụ ihe ziri ezi na eziokwu.
11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods. Their collected sayings are like nails driven home, given by one shepherd.
Okwu ọnụ nke onye maara ihe dị ka ndụdụ e ji achụ ehi. Nchịkọta okwu amamihe ndị a dị ka ǹtu a kumiri nke ọma, nke onye na-azụ atụrụ nyere.
12 In addition, my student, take care, for there's no end to book writing, and too much study wears you out.
Ma nwa m nwoke lezie anya, atụkwasịla ihe ọzọ nʼelu ihe ndị a. Akwụkwọ a na-ede ede enweghị ọgwụgwụ, ọtụtụ mmụta na-agwụ ike.
13 To sum up now that everything has been discussed: Respect God by keeping his commandments, for that's what everyone should do.
Ugbu a anụla ihe ndị a niile, ma nụrụ ihe bụ nkwubi okwu: Tụọ egwu Chineke, debekwa iwu ya niile, nʼihi na nke a bụ ọrụ niile dịrị mmadụ.
14 God is going to judge us for everything we do, including what we do secretly, whether good or bad.
Nʼihi na Chineke ga-ekpe ọrụ ọbụla ikpe, ya na ihe nzuzo anyị niile, ma ha dị mma ma ha dị njọ.