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.
So then I thought to myself, “Alright, let me examine pleasure and see how good that is.” But this too turned out to be something temporary that passes.
2 “Ọchị,” ka m sịrị na “ọ bụ ihe nzuzu. Ikpori ndụ, uru gịnị ka ọ bara?”
I conclude that laughing your way through life is stupid, and pleasure—what use is that?
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.
Then I used my mind to examine the attraction of wine to my body. My mind still guiding me with wisdom, I took it until I acted like a fool, so that I might see whether this was good for people to do during their time here.
4 Arụpụtara m ọtụtụ ihe dị iche iche, ewuru m ụlọ nye onwe m ma nweekwa ubi vaịnị.
Then I tried great construction projects. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
5 Ewuru m ubi a gbara ogige ebe izuike, ma kụọkwa osisi na-amị mkpụrụ dị iche iche nʼime ha,
I made for myself gardens and parks, planting them with all kinds of fruit trees.
6 wuore onwe m ọdọ mmiri ebe a ga-esi na-agba ubi m niile mmiri.
I constructed for myself reservoirs to water all these 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 bought male and female slaves, and their children also belonged to me. I also owned many herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
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 collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!
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.
I became great—greater than anyone in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom stayed 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.
I didn't stop myself trying anything I wanted. Whatever I felt like enjoying, I did. I even enjoyed everything I had accomplished, a reward for all my work.
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 thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.
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?
So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?
13 Achọpụtara m na amamihe dị mma karịa nzuzu, dịka ìhè si dị mma karịa ọchịchịrị.
I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than 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 wise see where they're going, but fools walk in darkness. But I also realized that they all come to the same end.
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.
Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”
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.”
Nobody remembers the wise or the fool for very long—in the future everything will be forgotten. Whether wise or foolish, they both die.
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.
So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.
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.
I even ended up hating what I had achieved here on earth because I have to hand it over to whoever comes 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.
And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!
20 Ya mere, o wutere m nʼobi na m dọgburu onwe m nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
I decided to give up, my mind in despair over the significance of all my life's achievements.
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 you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!
22 Gịnị bụ uru mmadụ na-enweta na ndọgbu niile ọ na-adọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ?
What do you get here on earth for all your hard work and worry?
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.
Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!
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.
So what's the best thing to do? Eat, drink, and enjoy your work, recognizing as I did that these things are given to us by God,
25 Ọ dịghị onye pụrụ iri maọbụ ṅụọ ma o siteghị na Chineke?
for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?
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.
To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.
