Ecclesiastes 4
1 Mo sì tún wò ó, mo sì rí gbogbo ìnilára tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ oòrùn, mo rí ẹkún àwọn tí ara ń ni, wọn kò sì ní olùtùnú kankan, agbára wà ní ìkápá àwọn tí ó ń ni wọ́n lára, wọn kò sì ní olùtùnú kankan.
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
2 Mo jowú àwọn tí wọ́n ti kú tí wọ́n sì ti lọ, ó sàn fún wọn ju àwọn tí wọ́n sì wà láààyè lọ.
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 Nítòótọ́, ẹni tí kò tí ì sí sàn ju àwọn méjèèjì lọ: ẹni tí kò tí ì rí iṣẹ́ búburú tí ó ń lọ ní abẹ́ oòrùn.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Mo sì tún mọ̀ pẹ̀lú, ìdí tí ènìyàn fi ń ṣiṣẹ́ tagbára tagbára láti ṣe àṣeyọrí, nítorí pé wọn ń jowú àwọn aládùúgbò wọn ni. Ṣùgbọ́n, asán ni, ó dàbí ẹni ń gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́.
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5 Aṣiwèrè ká ọwọ́ rẹ̀ kò ó sì ba tara rẹ̀ jẹ́.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Oúnjẹ ẹ̀kúnwọ́ kan pẹ̀lú ìdákẹ́ jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́ sàn ju ẹ̀kúnwọ́ méjì pẹ̀lú wàhálà, àti gbígba ìyànjú àti lé afẹ́fẹ́ lọ.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Lẹ́ẹ̀kan sí i, mo tún rí ohun asán kan lábẹ́ oòrùn.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 Ọkùnrin kan ṣoṣo dá wà; kò ní ọmọkùnrin kankan tàbí ẹbí. Kò sí òpin nínú làálàá rẹ̀ gbogbo, síbẹ̀, ọrọ̀ kò tẹ́ ojú rẹ̀ lọ́rùn. Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kò sì wí pé, “Nítorí ta ni èmí ṣe ń ṣe làálàá, àti wí pé, èétiṣe tí mo fi ń fi ìgbádùn du ara mi?” Eléyìí náà asán ni, iṣẹ́ òsì!
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
9 Ẹni méjì sàn ju ẹnìkan, nítorí wọ́n ní èrè rere fún làálàá wọn.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 Tí ọ̀kan bá ṣubú lulẹ̀, ọ̀rẹ́ rẹ̀ le è ràn án lọ́wọ́ kí ó fà á sókè, ṣùgbọ́n ìyọnu ni fún ọkùnrin náà tí ó ṣubú tí kò sì ní ẹni tí ó le è ràn án lọ́wọ́!
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Àti pẹ̀lú pé, bí ẹni méjì bá sùn pọ̀, wọn yóò móoru. Ṣùgbọ́n báwo ni ẹnìkan ṣe le è dá nìkan móoru?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 Bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé, a le è kojú ogun ẹnìkan, àwọn méjì le è gbìjà ara wọn, ìkọ́ okùn mẹ́ta kì í dùn ún yára fà já.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Òtòṣì ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ tí ó ṣe ọlọ́gbọ́n, ó sàn ju arúgbó àti aṣiwèrè ọba lọ tí kò mọ bí yóò ti ṣe gba ìmọ̀ràn.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 Nítorí pé láti inú túbú ni ó ti jáde láti jẹ ọba, bí a tilẹ̀ bí i ní tálákà ní ìjọba rẹ̀.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 Mo rí gbogbo alààyè tí ń rìn lábẹ́ oòrùn, pẹ̀lú ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ kejì tí yóò gba ipò ọba yìí.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 Gbogbo àwọn tí ó wà níwájú wọn kò sì lópin, ọ̀gọ̀ọ̀rọ̀ àwọn ènìyàn ní ó jẹ ọba lé lórí, ẹni tí ó wà ní ipò yìí kò dùn mọ́ àwọn tí ó tẹ̀lé wọn nínú. Asán ni eléyìí pẹ̀lú jẹ́, ó dàbí ẹni ń gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́ ni.
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
