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.
Then I turned to consider all the ways people oppress others here on earth. Look at the tears of the oppressed—there's no one to comfort them! Powerful people oppress them, and there's no one to comfort them!
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.
I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
3 Ma ọ dị mma karịa ha abụọ bụ onye ahụ a na-amụbeghị, onye na-ahụbeghị ihe ọjọọ nke dị nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
But best of all are those who have never existed—they haven't seen the evil things people do to each other here on earth.
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.
I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.
5 Onye nzuzu na-afanye aka abụọ nʼapata, na-eri anụ ahụ onwe ya.
Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6 Ọ ka mma inwe ihe ntakịrị na obi udo, karịa mmadụ inweju akụ site nʼịdọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, nke bụ naanị ịchụso ifufe.
It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7 Ọ dịkwa ihe ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ bụ naanị ihe efu.
Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
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.
What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!
9 Mmadụ abụọ ka mma karịa otu onye, nʼihi na ha ga-arụpụta ọtụtụ ihe:
Two are better than one, for they can help each other in 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.
If one of them falls down, the other can help them up, but how sad it is for someone who falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up.
11 Ọzọ, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ abụọ edinakọ, ahụ ga-ekpokwa ha ọkụ, ma olee otu onye naanị ya dina ga-esi nweta okpomọkụ?
In the same way, if two people lie down together, they keep each other warm, but you can't keep yourself warm if you're alone.
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.
Someone fighting against one other person may win, but not if they are fighting against two. A cord made of three strands can't be torn apart quickly.
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 poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
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.
He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
15 Ahụrụ m na mmadụ niile ndị bi nʼokpuru anyanwụ na-eso nwantakịrị ahụ onye nọchiri anya eze.
I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
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.
He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.
