Kohelethu 4
1 Ningĩ nĩndarorire na ngĩona kũhinyanĩrĩria kũrĩa gwathiiaga na mbere gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa: Ngĩona maithori ma arĩa ahinyĩrĩrie, na matirĩ na mũndũ wa kũmahooreria; arĩa maamahinyagĩrĩria nĩo maarĩ na ũhoti, no acio maahinyagĩrĩrio matiarĩ na mũndũ wa kũmahooreria.
Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold, the tears of those who were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 Tondũ ũcio ngiuga atĩ andũ arĩa akuũ, o acio marĩkĩtie gũkua, nĩmakenaga gũkĩra arĩa marĩ muoyo, o acio marĩ muoyo o na rĩu.
Therefore I praised the dead who have been long dead more than the living who are yet alive.
3 No rĩrĩ, mũndũ ũrĩa mwega gũkĩra acio eerĩ nĩ ũrĩa ũtarĩ mũciare, o ũcio ũtoneete ũũru ũrĩa wĩkagwo gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa.
Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Ningĩ ngĩona atĩ wĩra wothe na maũndũ marĩa mũndũ agĩĩaga namo moimanaga na mũndũ kũiguĩra mũndũ wa itũũra rĩake ũiru. Ũndũ ũcio o naguo no wa tũhũ, o ta gũtengʼeria rũhuho.
Then I saw all the labour and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 Mũndũ mũkĩĩgu enyiitanagĩria moko, akeyananga we mwene.
The fool folds his hands together and ruins himself.
6 Nĩ kaba mũndũ akorwo na kĩndũ kĩnini na akorwo na ũhooreri, gũkĩra gwĩtungumania agĩe na indo nyingĩ, na gũtengʼeria rũhuho.
Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labour and chasing after wind.
7 Ningĩ ngĩona ũndũ wa tũhũ gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa:
Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
8 Kwarĩ na mũndũ watũũraga arĩ wiki; ndaarĩ na mũriũ kana mũrũ wa nyina. No rĩrĩ, aatũũraga etungumanagia, no maitho make matiaiganagwo nĩ ũtonga. Eyũririe atĩrĩ, “Nũũ ũratũma ndĩtungumanie ũũ, na noge, na nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma ndĩiime ikeno?” Ũndũ ũcio o naguo nĩ wa tũhũ, no wĩra wa gũthĩĩnĩka!
There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labour and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9 Nĩ kaba andũ eerĩ gũkĩra ũmwe, tondũ nĩmoonaga uumithio mwega wa wĩra wao:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 Ũmwe angĩgũa thĩ-rĩ, mũratawe no amuoe. No rĩrĩ, mũndũ angĩgũa thĩ na ndarĩ na wa kũmuoya-rĩ, kaĩ ũcio nĩ wa kũiguĩrwo tha-ĩ!
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up.
11 Ningĩ-rĩ, andũ eerĩ mangĩkoma hamwe nĩmaiguithanagia ũrugarĩ. No rĩrĩ, mũndũ angĩhota kũigua ũrugarĩ atĩa arĩ o wiki?
Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 Mũndũ ũmwe no akĩrio hinya, no andũ eerĩ no mahote kwĩgitĩra. Mũhĩndo mũrame na ndigi ithatũ ndũngĩtuĩka narua.
If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Nĩ kaba mũndũ mwĩthĩ mũthĩĩni no nĩ mũũgĩ, gũkĩra mũthamaki mũkũrũ no nĩ mũkĩĩgu, ũrĩa ũtangĩtaarĩka.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
14 Mũndũ mwĩthĩ ũcio no akorwo oimĩte njeera agatuuo mũthamaki, kana akorwo aaciarirwo arĩ mũthĩĩni o kũu ũthamaki-inĩ wake.
For out of prison he came out to be king; yes, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
15 Ngĩkĩona atĩ andũ arĩa othe matũũraga na magathiiagĩra gũkũ thĩ kwaraga riũa maarũmĩrĩire mwanake ũcio mũthĩĩni, o ũcio wacookire ithenya rĩa mũthamaki.
I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the other, who succeeded him.
16 Andũ arĩa othe maathagwo nĩwe matingĩtarĩka. No rĩrĩ, andũ arĩa mookire thuutha wake matiakenirio nĩ ũcio wacookire ithenya rĩa mũthamaki. Ũndũ ũyũ o naguo nĩ wa tũhũ, o ta gũtengʼeria rũhuho.
There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was—yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
