Ekiliziastis 3
1 Ihe ọbụla nwere oge; mgbe dịkwara ihe ọbụla a na-eme eme nʼeluigwe.
Everything has its own time—a time for all that happens here:
2 Oge ịmụ nwa na oge ịnwụ anwụ, oge ịkụ ihe na oge ihopu,
A time of birth, and a time of death. A time of planting, and a time of harvest.
3 oge igbu egbu; na oge ịgwọ ọrịa, oge itikpọ na oge iwuzi ewuzi,
A time of killing, and a time of healing. A time of tearing down, and a time of building up.
4 oge ịkwa akwa, na oge ịchị ọchị, oge iru ụjụ na oge ite egwu,
A time of crying, and a time of laughing. A time of mourning, and a time of dancing.
5 oge ikposa nkume na oge ịchịkọta nkume, oge ịbakụ na oge ịkwụsị ịbakụ,
A time of throwing away stones, and a time of gathering up stones. A time of embracing, and a time of avoiding embracing.
6 oge ịchọ ihe, na oge ntufu, oge ịchịkọba, na oge ichifusi,
A time of searching, and a time of giving up searching. A time of keeping, and a time of throwing away.
7 oge ndọwasị, na oge ndụkọta, oge ịgba nkịtị, na oge ikwu okwu,
A time of tearing, and a time of mending. A time of keeping quiet, a time of speaking up.
8 oge ịhụnanya na oge ịkpọ asị, oge ibu agha, na oge ime udo.
A time of loving, and a time of hating. A time of warfare, and a time of peace.
9 Gịnị bụ nnọọ ihe mmadụ na-enweta site na ndọgbu niile nke nʼọrụ niile ọ na-arụ?
So what do you get for all your hard work?
10 Ahụla m ibu arọ nke Chineke bokwasịrị ndị mmadụ e kere eke.
I have examined what God gives us to do.
11 O meela ka ihe niile maa mma nʼoge nke ya. O tinyekwala ebighị ebi nʼime obi ndị mmadụ; ma o nweghị ka mmadụ ghọta ọrụ Chineke site na mmalite ruo nʼọgwụgwụ.
Everything God does is beautifully timed, and even though he has also placed the idea of eternity in our minds, we can't fully understand what God does from beginning to end.
12 Nʼihi ya, ekpebiri m na ihe dịịrị mmadụ ịchọ bụ obi ụtọ na inwe aṅụrị na ndụ ya niile.
I concluded that there's nothing better than being happy and looking for the good in life.
13 Ihe ọzọ bụ ka mmadụ rie, ṅụọ, ma nwee afọ ojuju na ndọgbu niile ọ na-adọgbu onwe ya, nʼihi na ha bụ onyinye si nʼaka Chineke.
In addition everyone should eat and drink and enjoy their work—this is God's gift to us.
14 Amaara m na ihe niile Chineke mere na-adịgidekwa. O nweghị ihe apụrụ itinye na ya, o nweghịkwa ihe apụrụ iwepụkwa site na ya. Chineke na-eme nke a ka ndị mmadụ tụọ egwu ya.
I also concluded that everything God does lasts forever: nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. God acts in this way so that people may stand in awe of him.
15 Ihe ọbụla dị ugbu a, adịlarị na mgbe ochie, ihe ọbụla gaje ịdị dịlarị na mbụ. Chineke na-eme ka ihe niile mere na mgbe gara aga megharịakwa ọzọ.
Whatever was, is; and whatever will be, has been, and God examines the whole of time.
16 Ọzọkwa, achọpụtara m otu ihe nʼokpuru anyanwụ, na ọnọdụ ezi ikpe naanị mmebi iwu jupụtara, nʼebe e kwesiri inwe ikpe ziri ezi ị ga-achọpụta na ihe ọjọọ dịkwa ya.
I also observed that here on earth there was evil even in the place where there was supposed to be justice; even where things were meant to be right, there was evil.
17 A gwara m onwe m, “Chineke ga-ekpe, ndị ezi omume na ndị ajọ omume ikpe, nʼihi na a ga-enwe oge maka ihe ọbụla a na-eme eme, oge dịkwa maka ikpe ọrụ niile nke mmadụ ikpe.”
But then I thought to myself, “Ultimately God will judge both those who do right and those who do wrong, and every deed and action, at the appointed time.”
18 Echere m nʼobi sị, “Ebe mmadụ nọ, Chineke na-anwale ya, ka mmadụ mata na ha dị ka anụmanụ.
I also thought to myself, “Regarding what happens to human beings—God proves to us that we're no better than animals.”
19 Nʼihi na ihe na-eche mmadụ na anụmanụ bụ otu. Ha abụọ na-eku ume, ha abụọ na-anwụkwa anwụ. Ọ dịghị ihe mmadụ ji karịa anụmanụ. Ihe niile bụ ihe efu.
For what happens to human beings is the same as what happens to animals—in the same way one dies, the other dies too. They all have the breath of life—so regarding any advantage human beings have over animals, there is none. Definitely this is very hard to understand!
20 Ha niile na-alaghachi nʼotu ebe; ọ bụ nʼaja ka ha si pụta, ebe ahụ kwa ka ha ga-alaghachi.
They all end up in the same place—they all came from dust, and they all return to dust.
21 Onye pụrụ iguzo gbaa akaebe na mmụọ mmadụ na-ala nʼelu ma nke anụmanụ na-ala nʼaja?”
Who really knows whether the breath of life of human beings goes up above, and the breath of life of animals goes down below to the earth?
22 Nʼihi ya, ahụrụ m na ọ dịghị ihe ọzọ ụmụ mmadụ kwesiri ime karịakwa inwe ọṅụ nʼọrụ ha, nʼihi na nke ahụ bụ oke ha nʼebe a. Onye ga-eme ka ha bịaghachi hụ ihe ga-eme nʼazụ ha?
So I concluded that there's nothing better than for people to enjoy their work. This is what we are meant to do. For who can bring anyone back from the dead to show them what will happen after they die?
