< Ecclesiastes 4 >

1 Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
Ọzọ, ahụrụ m mmegbu na obi ilu niile dị nʼokpuru anyanwụ, anya mmiri akwa ndị a na-emegbu emegbu, ma ọ dịkwaghị ndị nkasiobi ha nwere, ma ike dị nʼaka ndị mmegbu a, ma ha enwekwaghị ndị nkasiobi.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
Nʼihi ya, ekwuru m, na ndị nwụrụ anwụ, bụ ndị nwụrụ anwụ mgbe gara aga, ka ndị dị ndụ mma, bụ ndị nke dị ndụ ruo ugbu a.
3 However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
Ma ọ dị mma karịa ha abụọ bụ onye ahụ a na-amụbeghị, onye na-ahụbeghị ihe ọjọọ nke dị nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
4 Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
Achọpụtakwara m na ihe mere ndị mmadụ ji na-adọgbu onwe ha nʼọrụ bụ nʼihi anya ụfụ ha nwere nʼebe ihe ndị agbataobi ha dị. Nke a bụ ihe efu, ịchụso ifufe.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
Onye nzuzu na-afanye aka abụọ nʼapata, na-eri anụ ahụ onwe ya.
6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
Ọ ka mma inwe ihe ntakịrị na obi udo, karịa mmadụ inweju akụ site nʼịdọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, nke bụ naanị ịchụso ifufe.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
Ọ dịkwa ihe ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ bụ naanị ihe efu.
8 There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
Ọ dị otu nwoke nke naanị ya nọ, o nweghị nwa, o nwekwaghị ụmụnne. Mgbe niile, ọ na-adọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, ma nke a emeghị ka afọ ju ya nʼakụnụba o nwere. Ọ jụrụ sị, “Ọ bụ nʼihi onye ka m ji adọgbu onwe m nʼọrụ,” “nʼihi gịnị ka m ji anapụ onwe m ihe obi aṅụrị?” Ihe nke a enweghị isi, ihe efu na-eweta obi mgbawa ka ha bụ.
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
Mmadụ abụọ ka mma karịa otu onye, nʼihi na ha ga-arụpụta ọtụtụ ihe:
10 For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
Otu onye nʼime ha daa, onye nke ọzọ ga-apalite ya. Ma mgbe ọ bụ naanị otu onye, onye ga-apalite ya? Ọ nọ nʼime nsogbu.
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Ọzọ, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ abụọ edinakọ, ahụ ga-ekpokwa ha ọkụ, ma olee otu onye naanị ya dina ga-esi nweta okpomọkụ?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
Ọ bụ ezie na e nwere ike merie onye naanị ya guzo, ma mmadụ abụọ pụrụ iguzo zọọ onwe ha. Ụdọ e ji eriri atọ tụkọta nʼotu, adịghị adọbi ya ngwangwa.
13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
Ọ ka mma ịbụ nwantakịrị na onye ogbenye nwere nghọta karịa ịbụ agadi bụ eze ndị nzuzu, onye na-adịghị aṅa ntị na ndụmọdụ ọbụla.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
Nwata dị otu a, ma eleghị anya, ọ ga-esi nʼụlọ mkpọrọ pụta bụrụ eze, ma ọ bụkwanụ na a mụrụ ya ogbenye nʼalaeze ahụ.
15 I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
Ahụrụ m na mmadụ niile ndị bi nʼokpuru anyanwụ na-eso nwantakịrị ahụ onye nọchiri anya eze.
16 There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
A pụghị ịgụta ndị dịnyere ya, ma ndị ga-esota nʼazụ agaghị enwe ọṅụ nʼebe onye nọchiri eze ahụ nọ. Ọzọkwa, nke a bụ ihe efu, naanị ịchụso ifufe.

< Ecclesiastes 4 >