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.
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
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] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still 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 those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the 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 also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 Onye nzuzu na-afanye aka abụọ nʼapata, na-eri anụ ahụ onwe ya.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Ọ ka mma inwe ihe ntakịrị na obi udo, karịa mmadụ inweju akụ site nʼịdọgbu onwe ya nʼọrụ, nke bụ naanị ịchụso ifufe.
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 Ọ dịkwa ihe ọzọ m hụrụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ bụ naanị ihe efu.
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
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 are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 Mmadụ abụọ ka mma karịa otu onye, nʼihi na ha ga-arụpụta ọtụtụ ihe:
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your 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 you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand 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?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
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 who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
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 but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good 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.
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 Ahụrụ m na mmadụ niile ndị bi nʼokpuru anyanwụ na-eso nwantakịrị ahụ onye nọchiri anya eze.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
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.
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
