Ekiliziastis 2
1 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.
I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
2 “Ọchị,” ka m sịrị na “ọ bụ ihe nzuzu. Ikpori ndụ, uru gịnị ka ọ bara?”
Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
3 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.
I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
4 Arụpụtara m ọtụtụ ihe dị iche iche, ewuru m ụlọ nye onwe m ma nweekwa ubi vaịnị.
I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
5 Ewuru m ubi a gbara ogige ebe izuike, ma kụọkwa osisi na-amị mkpụrụ dị iche iche nʼime ha,
I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
6 wuore onwe m ọdọ mmiri ebe a ga-esi na-agba ubi m niile mmiri.
And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
7 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.
I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 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.
I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
9 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.
And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
10 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.
And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
11 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.
But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
12 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?
I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”
13 Achọpụtara m na amamihe dị mma karịa nzuzu, dịka ìhè si dị mma karịa ọchịchịrị.
And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
14 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.
The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
15 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.
And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
16 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.”
For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
17 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.
And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
18 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.
Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
19 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.
though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
20 Ya mere, o wutere m nʼobi na m dọgburu onwe m nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
21 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.
For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
22 Gịnị bụ uru mmadụ na-enweta na ndọgbu niile ọ na-adọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ?
For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
23 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.
All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
24 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.
Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 Ọ dịghị onye pụrụ iri maọbụ ṅụọ ma o siteghị na Chineke?
So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
26 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.
God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.
