Ekiliziastis 4
1 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.
And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.
2 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.
So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.
3 Ma ọ dị mma karịa ha abụọ bụ onye ahụ a na-amụbeghị, onye na-ahụbeghị ihe ọjọọ nke dị nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
4 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.
And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
5 Onye nzuzu na-afanye aka abụọ nʼapata, na-eri anụ ahụ onwe ya.
The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
6 Ọ ka mma inwe ihe ntakịrị na obi udo, karịa mmadụ inweju akụ site nʼịdọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, nke bụ naanị ịchụso ifufe.
One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
7 Ọ dịkwa ihe ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ bụ naanị ihe efu.
Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.
8 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.
It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.
9 Mmadụ abụọ ka mma karịa otu onye, nʼihi na ha ga-arụpụta ọtụtụ ihe:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
10 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.
And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.
11 Ọzọ, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ abụọ edinakọ, ahụ ga-ekpokwa ha ọkụ, ma olee otu onye naanị ya dina ga-esi nweta okpomọkụ?
So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?
12 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.
And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
13 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.
A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.
14 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.
Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.
15 Ahụrụ m na mmadụ niile ndị bi nʼokpuru anyanwụ na-eso nwantakịrị ahụ onye nọchiri anya eze.
I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.
16 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.
There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
