Ekiliziastis 7
1 Ezi aha ka mma karịa mmanụ isi ụtọ. Ụbọchị mmadụ nwụrụ ka ụbọchị a mụrụ ya mma.
A good name [is] better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 Ọ kaara gị mma ije nʼebe a na-eru ụjụ karịa ebe a na-eri na-aṅụ. Nʼihi na ọnwụ dịịrị mmadụ ọbụla; ndị dị ndụ kwesiri iburu nke a nʼobi.
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
3 Iru ụjụ ka ịchị ọchị mma, ihu gbarụrụ agbarụ na-enyere obi aka
Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Onye maara ihe na-eche echiche banyere ọnwụ, ma onye nzuzu na-eche naanị banyere ikpori ndụ.
The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
5 Ọ ka mma ige ntị nye mba onye maara ihe karịa ịṅa ntị nʼabụ ndị na-enweghị uche na-abụ.
[It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Ọchị onye nzuzu dị ka mkpọtụ nke ogwu na-ere ọkụ na-eme nʼokpuru ite. Ihe a bụkwa ihe efu.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
7 Iji anya ike nara mmadụ ihe na-eme ka onye mara ihe ghọọ onye nzuzu, iri ngarị na-emerụ obi mmadụ.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Ọgwụgwụ ihe ọbụla dị mma karịa mmalite ya! Ogologo ntachiobi dị mma karịa mpako!
Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
9 Abụla onye na-ewe iwe ọsịịsọ, nʼihi na iwe bụ oke ndị nzuzu.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Asịla, “Gịnị mere ụbọchị gara aga ji dị mma karịa ụbọchị ndị a?” Nʼihi na ọ bụghị amamihe ị jụ ajụjụ dị otu a.
Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 Amamihe dịka ihe nketa, bụ ihe dị mma. Ọ na-abara uru nye ndị na-ahụ anyanwụ anya.
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
12 Amamihe bụ ndo dịka ego si bụrụkwa ndo, ma ụzọ ihe ọmụma ji dị mma karịa bụ nke a: Amamihe na-echebe ndụ ndị nwere ya.
For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 Chee echiche banyere ihe Chineke na-eme. Mmadụ ọ pụrụ ime ka ọ dịzie adịzie, bụ ihe Chineke mere ka ọ gbagọọ agbagọ?
Consider the work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 Mgbe ihe na-agara gị nke ọma, ṅụrịa ọṅụ, nʼihi ọ dịrị gị mma, ma mgbe mmekpa ahụ batara, mata nke ọma na Chineke onye na-enye ọnọdụ ọma makwa ihe banyere ọnọdụ ọjọọ. Ya mere, o nweghị onye ọbụla nwere ike ịchọpụta ọdịnihu ya.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 Ndụ m nʼụwa a bụ ihe efu, ahụla m ihe abụọ ndị a; onye ezi omume na-anwụ nʼezi omume ya, ma onye na-emebi iwu na-ebi ogologo ndụ na mmebi iwu ya.
All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
16 Nʼihi ya, abụbigala onye ezi omume oke, emekwala onwe gị onye mabigara ihe oke. Gịnị mere i ji achọ igbu onwe gị?
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Abụbigala onye na-emefe ajọ omume oke, abụkwala onye nzuzu! Gịnị ka ị ga-eji nwụọ mgbe oge gị na-erubeghị?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Ọ dị mma ijide otu na-esepụghị aka na nke ọzọ, onye na-atụ egwu Chineke ga-enweta uru nʼime ha abụọ.
[It is] good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Amamihe na-eme ka otu onye dị ike karịa mmadụ iri na-achị otu obodo.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in the city.
20 Gbaa ụwa niile gburugburu, ọ dịghị otu onye bụ onye ezi omume, ọ dịghị onye na-eme ihe ziri ezi nke na-adịghị eme mmehie mgbe ọbụla.
For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Egela ntị nʼihe niile ndị mmadụ na-ekwu, ị pụrụ ịnụ nkọcha nke ohu gị na-akọcha gị.
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 Gị onwe gị maara na ọtụtụ oge, ị na-akọchakwa ndị ọzọ.
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Agbalịsiela m ike inwe nghọta. Ekwuru m sị, “Aga m abụ onye amamihe,” ma nke a karịrị m.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
24 Amamihe adịghị mfe inweta, ọ dị omimi nke ukwuu; ọ bụ onye pụrụ ịchọpụta ya?
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 A tụgharịrị uche m ka m ghọta, iledo na ịchọpụta amamihe na atụmatụ otu ihe niile si dị na ịghọtakwa nzuzu nke dị na ajọ omume na ịyị ara nke dị na enweghị uche.
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:
26 Achọpụtara m na ọ dị ihe dị ilu karịa ọnwụ, ihe ahụ bụ nwanyị. Obi ya dị ka ụgbụ. Otu a kwa, aka o ji ejikụ gị dị ka ụdọ igwe. Onye ahụ na-eme ihe na-atọ Chineke ụtọ na-esi nʼaka ya gbapụ, ma ndị mmehie ka ọ na-enwude nʼọnya ya.
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 “Lee, Ihe a ka m chọpụtara,” ka onye nkuzi kwuru: “Site nʼịtụkwasị otu ihe nʼelu ibe ya ka m matara isi ihe niile.
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
28 Mgbe m ka na-achọ ma achọtaghị m, nʼetiti puku mmadụ ndị ikom, achọtara m otu onye aka ya dị ọcha, ma ọ dịghị otu nwanyị m chọtara nʼetiti ha.
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Achọpụtara m naanị nke a, Chineke mere ndị mmadụ ka ha bụrụ ndị ụzọ ha ziri ezi, ma ha atụgharịala chọrọ ọtụtụ ihe nchepụta gawa.”
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
