Lallaba 4
1 Ani ammas ilaalee cunqursaa aduudhaa gaditti adeemsifamaa jiru hunda nan arge: Ani imimmaan cunqurfamtootaa nan arge; nama isaan jajjabeessu tokko illees hin qaban; humni gama cunqursitoota isaanii ture; isaan nama isaan jajjabeessu tokko illee hin qaban.
Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
2 Anis akka warri duʼan, kanneen kanaan dura duʼan, jiraattota amma lubbuudhaan jiraatan caalan nan labse.
So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
3 Garuu namni hamma ammaatti hin dhalatin kan hammina aduudhaa gaditti hojjetamu hin argin, lachan isaanii irra wayya.
However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
4 Anis akka dadhabbiin hojii hundii fi milkaaʼuun hundi hinaaffaa namni ollaa isaa wajjin qabu irraa burqu nan arga. Kunis bubbee ariʼuu dha; faayidaas hin qabu.
Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
5 Gowwaan harka isaa maratee taaʼa; foonuma ofii isaas nyaata.
The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
6 Dadhabbii fi bubbee ariʼuudhaan konyee lama argachuu irra nagaan konyee tokko argachuu wayya.
But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
7 Ani amma illee waan faayidaa hin qabne tokko aduudhaa gaditti nan arge:
Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
8 Nama kophaa isaa jiraatu tokkotu jira; innis ilma yookaan obboleessa hin qabu ture. Yeroo hunda hojiitti dadhaba; taʼus iji isaa qabeenya isaa ilaalee quufe hin jedhu. Innis, “Ani eenyuuf jedheen dadhaba? Maaliifan gammachuus of laga?” jedhee gaafate. Kunis faayidaa hin qabu; hojii buʼaa hin qabnee dha!
There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
9 Isaan sababii hojii isaaniitiif gatii gaarii waan argataniif nama tokko irra nama lama wayya:
Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
10 Yoo inni tokko kufe, inni kaan ol isa qaba. Garuu namni kufee kan ol isa kaasu hin qabne garaa nama nyaata!
For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
11 Yoo namoonni lama wajjin ciisan itti hoʼa; nama tokko garuu akkamitti kophaa isaa itti hoʼuu dandaʼa?
If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 Namni tokko moʼatamuu dandaʼa; namoonni lama garuu of irraa deebisuu dandaʼu. Funyoon foʼaa sadiin foʼame dafee hin citu.
One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
13 Mootii dulloomaa fi gowwaa siʼachi gorsa hin fudhanne irra, dargaggeessa hiyyeessa ogeessa wayya.
It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
14 Inni yoo hiyyumaan mootummaa sana keessatti dhalate iyyuu mana hidhaatii baʼee mootii taʼuu dandaʼaatii.
This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 Ani akka namni aduudhaa gad jiraate hundi dargaggeessa mootii dhaalu sana duukaa buʼe nan arge.
I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
16 Baayʼinni nama fuula isaanii dura jiruu hamma hin qabu ture. Warri duubaan dhufan garuu dargaggeessa dhaalu sanatti hin gammanne. Kun hundis bubbee ariʼuu dha; faayidaas hin qabu.
There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
