< 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 I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have 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.
And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
3 Ma ọ dị mma karịa ha abụọ bụ onye ahụ a na-amụbeghị, onye na-ahụbeghị ihe ọjọọ nke dị nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
And better than both of them [is] he who has not yet been, in that he has not seen the evil work that has been 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 have seen all the labor, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbor. Even this [is] vanity and distress of spirit.
5 Onye nzuzu na-afanye aka abụọ nʼapata, na-eri anụ ahụ onwe ya.
The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
6 Ọ ka mma inwe ihe ntakịrị na obi udo, karịa mmadụ inweju akụ site nʼịdọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, nke bụ naanị ịchụso ifufe.
“Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labor and distress of spirit.”
7 Ọ dịkwa ihe ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ bụ naanị ihe efu.
And I have turned, and I see a vain thing 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.
There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he has not, and there is no end to all his labor! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he does not say], “For whom am I laboring and bereaving my soul of good?” This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
9 Mmadụ abụọ ka mma karịa otu onye, nʼihi na ha ga-arụpụta ọtụtụ ihe:
The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labor.
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.
For if they fall, the one raises up his companion, but woe to the one who falls and there is not a second to raise him 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?
Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how has one heat?
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 if the one strengthens himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is 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.
Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who has not known to be warned anymore.
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.
For from a house of prisoners he has come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he has been poor.
15 Ahụrụ m na mmadụ niile ndị bi nʼokpuru anyanwụ na-eso nwantakịrị ahụ onye nọchiri anya eze.
I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who stands in 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.
there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter do not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and distress of spirit.