Omubuulizi 4
1 Ate nalaba okunnyigirizibwa kwonna okukolebwa wansi w’enjuba. Ate laba, amaziga gaabo abanyigirizibwa, era nga tebalina wakugabasangulako! Ababanyigiriza baalina obuyinza, kyokka nga tewali asobola kubagambako.
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 Ne ndowooza ku abo abaafa, nga baali ba mukisa okusinga abo abakyali abalamu;
I congratulated those who were already dead, for the dead are better off than those who are still alive and being oppressed.
3 naye abasinga abo, y’oyo atannaba kuzaalibwa, atannalaba bibi obukolebwa wansi w’enjuba.
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 Awo ne ndaba ng’okutegana, n’okutuukiriza mu bikolebwa, kuva mu kukwatirwa obuggya muliraanwa. Na kino butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
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 Omusirusiru awumba emikono gye, ne yeezikiriza yekka.
Fools fold their arms and do nothing—so in the end they're all used up.
6 Kirungi okuba n’emirembe emijjuvu okusinga okujjula okubonaabona n’okugoberera empewo.
It's better to earn a little without stress than a lot with too much stress and chasing after the wind.
7 Ate era ne ndaba obutaliimu wansi w’enjuba:
Then I turned to consider something else here on earth that is also frustratingly hard to understand.
8 nalaba omuntu ng’ali bwannamunigina, nga talina mwana wabulenzi wadde muganda we, naye ng’ategana okukamala, nga tamatira na bugagga bwe, ne yeebuuza nti, “Nteganira ani ne neefiiriza essanyu? Kino nakyo butaliimu, era tekiriiko kye kigasa.”
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 Ababiri basinga omu, kubanga bagasibwa nnyo mu kukola kwabwe.
Two are better than one, for they can help each other in their work.
10 Kubanga singa omu agwa, munne amuyimusa. Naye zimusanze oyo ali obw’omu, bw’agwa tabaako amuyimusa.
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 Ababiri bwe bagalamira bombi awamu babuguma; naye oyo ali obw’omu, ayinza atya okubuguma?
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 Omu awangulwa mangu, kyokka ababiri bayinza okwerwanako. Kubanga omuguwa ogw’emiyondo esatu tegukutuka mangu.
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 Omuvubuka omwavu nga mugezi, akira kabaka amusinga emyaka nga musirusiru, atafaayo ku kubuulirirwa.
A poor young person who's wise is better than an old and foolish king who no longer accepts advice.
14 Omuvubuka ayinza okuba ng’avudde mu kkomera n’alya obwakabaka, oba okulya obwakabaka ng’abadde mwavu.
He may even come out of prison to reign over his kingdom, even though he was born poor.
15 Nalaba abalamu bonna abatambula wansi w’enjuba nga bagoberera omuvubuka oyo ow’okulya obwakabaka.
I observed everyone here on earth following the youth who takes his place.
16 Abantu be yafuganga baali bangi nnyo. Naye abo abajja oluvannyuma lwe tebaamusiima. Na kino nakyo butaliimu na kugoberera mpewo.
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.
