Ekiliziastis 8
1 Onye dị ka onye amamihe? Onye maara nkọwa ihe? Amamihe na-enyekwa ihu ya ihe, na-emekwa ka mgbarụ nke ihu ya gbanwee.
Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
2 Asị m, debe iwu eze, nʼihi iyi ị ṅụrụ nʼihu Chineke.
My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
3 Emela ngwangwa isi nʼihu eze pụọ. Akwagidela ihe ọjọọ nʼihi na ọ ga-eme ihe masịrị ya.
Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
4 Nʼihi na okwu eze nwere ike ọ dịghị onye pụrụ ịjụ ya, Gịnị ka ị na-eme?
The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
5 Onye na-edebe iwu eze agaghị adaba na nsogbu. Onye maara ihe na-ama mgbe kwesiri na ụzọ kwesiri ime ihe.
Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
6 Ihe niile nwere oge kwesiri ya, ụzọ e si eme ha dịkwa, ọ bụ ezie na nsogbu mmadụ dị ukwuu nʼahụ ya.
For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
7 Ebe ọ bụ na o nweghị onye mara ihe na-aga ime, onye pụrụ ịgwa ibe ya ihe gaje ime?
No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
8 Ọ dịghị onye nwere ike igbochi mmụọ mmadụ mgbe ọ chọrọ. Ọ dịghị onye nwere ike igbochi ụbọchị ọnwụ ya. Dịka o si sie ike izighachi mmadụ azụ nʼoge agha, otu a ka o si sie ike ajọ omume ịtọghapụ ndị na-eme ihe ọjọọ.
No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
9 Ihe ndị a niile ka m hụrụ, mgbe m na-atụgharị uche banyere ihe niile a na-eme nʼokpuru anyanwụ. Mgbe ụfọdụ, mmadụ na-emegide ibe ya si otu a wetara onwe ya nsogbu.
I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
10 Ọzọkwa, ahụrụ m ebe e liri ndị ajọ omume, ndị na-abata na apụkwa site nʼebe dị nsọ, a na-etokwa ha nʼobodo ebe ha mere ihe ndị a. Nke a bụkwa nnọọ ihe na-enweghị isi; ihe efu.
Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
11 Nʼihi na e nyeghị ntaramahụhụ mmehie mgbe o kwesiri, obi ndị mmadụ na-ejupụta nʼatụmatụ ime mmehie.
When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
12 Onye ajọ omume nwere ike mee narị mmehie bikwaa ogologo ndụ, ma amara m na ọ ga-adịrị ndị na-atụ egwu Chineke mma karịa, bụ ndị na-atụ egwu nʼihu Chineke.
Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
13 Nʼihi na ndị ajọ omume adịghị atụ egwu Chineke, ọ gaghị adịrị ha na mma, ụbọchị ndụ ha agaghị agbatịkwa ogologo dịka onyinyo.
In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
14 Ọ dị ihe ọzọ na-enweghị isi nʼụwa: ndị ezi omume na-anata ntaramahụhụ dịrị ndị na-emebi iwu. Ndị na-emebi iwu na-anata ụgwọ ọrụ ruru ndị ezi omume. Nʼezie, ihe ndị a niile bụ ihe efu, ha enweghị isi.
Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
15 Ya mere, ana m ekwupụta, na ikpori ezi ndụ dị mma, nʼihi na ọ dịghị ihe ka mma nye mmadụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ, karịa iri, na ịṅụ, na inwe obi ụtọ. Mgbe ahụ ọ ga-enwe obi ụtọ nʼọrụ ọ na-arụ nʼụbọchị niile nke Chineke nyere ya nʼokpuru anyanwụ.
So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
16 Mgbe m wepụtara obi m ịchọ amamihe na ịghọta ọrụ mmadụ nʼokpuru anyanwụ nke mere na ọ naghị ehi ụra ehihie na abalị,
When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
17 mgbe ahụ ka m chọpụtara ihe Chineke mere. O nweghị onye pụrụ ịghọta ihe na-aga nʼokpuru anyanwụ. Otu ọbụla mmadụ siri gbalịa o nweghị ike ịchọpụta ihe ọ pụtara. Onye maara ihe pụrụ ị sị na a amatala ya, ma nʼezie ọ maghị ya.
Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
