Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
Bende ne aneno timbe misandogo ji e pinyni, mi aneno joma isando kaywak to onge ngʼama ne nyalo hoyogi, nikech joma ne sandogi ne nigi teko moloyogi.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Kendo ne angʼado ni joma ne osetho moyiki, gin johawi moloyo joma pod ngima.
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
To joma johawi moloyogi duto, gin jogo ma pod ok onywol, ma pod ok oneno richo mitimo e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ.
4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
Kendo ne aneno ni tich matek duto kod ohala ma ngʼato yudo kuom tije timore mana nikech nyiego ma ngʼato nigo mar loyo nyawadgi. Ma bende onge tiende, ochalo gi lawo bangʼ yamo.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
Joma ofuwo masiko kokwakore, ketho ngimane owuon.
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
Bedo gi chiemo moromo lwedo achiel gi chuny mokwe ber moloyo bedo gi chiemo moromo lwedo ariyo gi tich matek, mature kayiem nono.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Ne achako aneno gimoro maonge tiende e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ:
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
Ne nitiere ngʼama ne ni kende; ne oonge wuowi kata owadgi. Ne otiyo matek ma ok oywe, to kata kamano ne oneno ni mwandune tin. Nopenjo niya, “En ngʼa ma atiyone matek kendo angʼo omiyo atwonora mor?” Ma bende onge tiende, ohala maonge mor!
9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
Ji ariyo ber moloyo ngʼato achiel nikech giyudo ohala kuom tich ma gitiyo.
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
Ka ngʼato achiel opodho, to osiepne nyalo konye mondo ochungʼ malo. To atimo mos ne ngʼatno ma opodho piny to oonge gi ngʼat makonye mondo ochungʼ malo!
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
Bende, ka ji ariyo onindo kanyakla, to gibiro yudo liet. To ere kaka ngʼato nyalo yudo liet ka en kende?
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
Kata ka dipo ni ngʼato achiel inyalo loyo, to ji ariyo nyalo gengʼo jasigu. Tol mokad nyadidek ok chodo yot.
13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
Ber bedo ngʼama tin modhier mariek moloyo ruoth moti mofuwo ma ok ongʼeyo kaka ikawo siem.
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
Ngʼato nyalo bedo ni oa e twech kata odhier, to bangʼe obedo ruoth e pinygi.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Aseneno ni jogo duto mane odak kendo owuotho e bwo wangʼ chiengʼ noluwo bangʼ ngʼama tin, mane okawo kom ruoth.
16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
Joma ne obiro motelone ne onge gikogi. To jogo mane obiro bangʼe ne ok mor kod ruoth mane okawo kare. Ma bende onge tiende, ochalo gi lawo bangʼ yamo.
