< Ecclesiastes 2 >

1 Come, then, I said in my heart, I will have a taste of joy, and thou shalt see what is good; but, behold, this also was vanity.
Echere m nʼime obi m sị, Ugbu a, aga m eji ihe na-enye obi aṅụrị nwaa gị site otu a chọpụta ihe dị mma, ma nke a bụkwa ihe efu.
2 Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
“Ọchị,” ka m sịrị na “ọ bụ ihe nzuzu. Ikpori ndụ, uru gịnị ka ọ bara?”
3 I resolved in my heart to indulge my body with wine, while my heart guideth itself with wisdom; and to lay fast hold on folly, till I might see what it is that is good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heavens during the number of the days of their life.
Echere m nʼobi ụtọ m ga-esite nʼịṅụ mmanya. Agbasokwara m ụzọ ibi ndụ nzuzu ma obi m nọ nnọọ na-edu m site nʼamamihe. Olileanya m bụ na m ga-esi otu a chọta ụzọ kachasị mma ndị mmadụ nwere ike iji bie mkpụmkpụ ndụ ha nʼụwa.
4 I made great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
Arụpụtara m ọtụtụ ihe dị iche iche, ewuru m ụlọ nye onwe m ma nweekwa ubi vaịnị.
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
Ewuru m ubi a gbara ogige ebe izuike, ma kụọkwa osisi na-amị mkpụrụ dị iche iche nʼime ha,
6 I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
wuore onwe m ọdọ mmiri ebe a ga-esi na-agba ubi m niile mmiri.
7 I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and I had likewise those born in my house; I had also great possessions of cattle and flocks above all that had been before me in Jerusalem.
Agbatara m ndị ohu nwoke na nwanyị, nweekwa ndị ohu ọzọ a mụrụ nʼụlọ m. Enwekwara m ọtụtụ igwe ehi na anụ ụlọ karịa eze niile ndị bu m ụzọ chịa na Jerusalem.
8 I gathered unto myself also silver and gold, and the choice treasures of kings and of the provinces: I procured myself male singers and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, wagons and chariots.
Achịkọtara m ọlaọcha na ọlaedo nye onwe m, na akụnụba nke ọtụtụ ndị eze na-achị ala ha na-atụtara m. E nwetakwara m nye onwe m ndị ikom na ndị inyom ndị na-abụ abụ. Enwekwara ndị iko nwanyị nʼebe ọ bara ụba. Ihe ụtọ niile ndị na-amasị obi nwa mmadụ.
9 So was I great, and obtained more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
E, aghọrọ m onye dị ukwuu karịa eze niile ndị burula m ụzọ chịa na Jerusalem. Ma nʼime ihe ndị a niile, anya doro m, ihe niile ka m ji amamihe tulee.
10 And whatsoever my eyes desired I refused them not; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart was rejoiced with all my toil, and this was my portion of all my toil.
Ihe ọbụla m chọrọ, ka m na-ewere; egbochighị m onwe m aṅụrị ọbụla. Obi m ṅụrịrị ọṅụ site nʼọrụ niile, nke a bụkwa oke m ketara na ndọgbu niile m dọgburu onwe m.
11 But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
Mgbe m tulere ihe banyere ihe ndị a niile m tinyetụrụ aka, otu m si dọgbuo onwe m nʼọrụ banyere ha, mkpebi m bụ na ha niile bụ ihe efu, dịka ịchọ ijide ifufe. Nʼezie, ihe niile bụ ihe efu, ha abakwaghị uru.
12 And then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [only] that which [others] have done already.
Atụgharịrị m bido ịmụ ihe banyere amamihe, na ịyị ara na nzuzu. Olee ihe ọzọ nke onye ga-anọchi anya eze ga-eme, karịa ihe ndị ahụ e merela na mbụ?
13 But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.
Achọpụtara m na amamihe dị mma karịa nzuzu, dịka ìhè si dị mma karịa ọchịchịrị.
14 The wise man hath his eyes in his head, while the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself perceived then also that one occurrence will befall all of them.
Nʼihi na onye maara ihe na-ahụ ụzọ ma isi kpuru onye nzuzu. Ma achọpụtakwara m na otu ihe ndaba na-adabara onye amamihe na onye nzuzu.
15 Then said I in my heart, The same that befalleth the fool will also befall even me: and why have I then been wiser? Then spoke I in my heart, that this is also vanity.
Agwara m onwe m okwu sị, “Dịka onye nzuzu ga-anwụ, otu ahụ kwa ka m ga-anwụ. Gịnị bụ uru amamihe m niile bara?” Ekwuru m nʼobi m sị, “Ihe a bụkwa ihe efu.
16 For there is no recollection of the wise any more than of the fool for ever: seeing that which hath long ago been will, in the days that are coming, all be forgotten. And how doth the wise die equally with the fool!
Nʼihi na onye maara ihe na onye nzuzu bụ ndị a na-agaghị echeta ihe banyere ogologo oge dị nʼihu. Nʼụbọchị ndị na-abịa nʼihu, a gaghị echeta ha. Onye amamihe na onye nzuzu aghaghị ịnwụ.”
17 Therefore I hated life; because I felt displeased with the work that is wrought under the sun; for all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Ya mere, akpọrọ m ịdị ndụ asị, nʼihi na ọrụ a na-arụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ wutere m. Ihe efu ka ọ bụ; ọ dị ka ịchụgharị ifufe.
18 Yea, I hated also all my toil with which I had toiled under the sun; because I should have to leave it unto the man that will be after me.
Ihe niile m gbalịrị ịrụpụta ka m kpọrọ asị, nʼihi na amaara m na emesịa, aga m ahapụrụ ha onye ọzọ na-abịa nʼazụ m.
19 And who knoweth, whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have full sway over all my toil wherein I have toiled, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. Also this is vanity.
Onye maara ma ọ ga-abụ onye maara ihe ma ọ ga-abụkwanụ onye nzuzu? Ma ihe niile m ji amamihe ǹka m na ike m rụpụta nʼokpuru anyanwụ ga-abụ nke ya! Ihe a bụ ihe efu.
20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled under the sun.
Ya mere, o wutere m nʼobi na m dọgburu onwe m nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
21 For there is many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this is vanity and a great evil.
Nʼihi na mmadụ nwere ike jiri amamihe, na ihe ọmụma na ǹka dọgbuo onwe ya nʼọrụ, emesịa, ha ahapụrụ onye na-enweghị mgbe ọ rụrụ ọrụ ọbụla ihe ndị ahụ niile. Nke a bụkwa ihe efu, na oke ihe ndakwasị.
22 For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?
Gịnị bụ uru mmadụ na-enweta na ndọgbu niile ọ na-adọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ?
23 For all his days are full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this is vanity.
Nʼihi nʼụbọchị ha niile jupụtara naanị nʼihe mgbu na iru ụjụ, ọ bụladị nʼabalị, obi ha anaghị ezu ike. Ihe ndị a bụkwa ihe efu.
24 It is not a good thing [inherent] in man that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy happiness for his toil. Also this have I seen, that it cometh out of the hand of God.
Nʼihi ya, ekpebiri m na ọ dịghị ihe ọzọ ga-abara mmadụ uru karịakwa naanị ịnọdụ ala rie nri, ṅụọkwa ihe ma chọta ojuju afọ nʼọrụ ya. Achọpụtakwara m na ọ bụladị nke a si nʼaka Chineke.
25 For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things more than I?
Ọ dịghị onye pụrụ iri maọbụ ṅụọ ma o siteghị na Chineke?
26 For to a man who is good in his presence [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth employment, to gather up and to bring together, that he may give it to him that is good before God. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Nʼihi na ndị na-eme ihe na-atọ ya ụtọ, ka Chineke na-enye amamihe na ihe ọmụma, na ọṅụ; ma ọ na-enye onye mmehie ọrụ ịkpakọta na ịchịkọba akụnụba nke ọ ga-enyefe nʼaka onye ahụ ihe ya dị Chineke mma. Nke a bụkwa ihe efu; ịchụso ifufe.

< Ecclesiastes 2 >