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.
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
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 thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those 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.
And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
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 also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 Aṣiwèrè ká ọwọ́ rẹ̀ kò ó sì ba tara rẹ̀ jẹ́.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Oúnjẹ ẹ̀kúnwọ́ kan pẹ̀lú ìdákẹ́ jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́ sàn ju ẹ̀kúnwọ́ méjì pẹ̀lú wàhálà, àti gbígba ìyànjú àti lé afẹ́fẹ́ lọ.
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 Lẹ́ẹ̀kan sí i, mo tún rí ohun asán kan lábẹ́ oòrùn.
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
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 are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 Ẹni méjì sàn ju ẹnìkan, nítorí wọ́n ní èrè rere fún làálàá wọn.
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
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!
If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
11 Àti pẹ̀lú pé, bí ẹni méjì bá sùn pọ̀, wọn yóò móoru. Ṣùgbọ́n báwo ni ẹnìkan ṣe le è dá nìkan móoru?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
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.
Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
13 Òtòṣì ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ tí ó ṣe ọlọ́gbọ́n, ó sàn ju arúgbó àti aṣiwèrè ọba lọ tí kò mọ bí yóò ti ṣe gba ìmọ̀ràn.
A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
14 Nítorí pé láti inú túbú ni ó ti jáde láti jẹ ọba, bí a tilẹ̀ bí i ní tálákà ní ìjọba rẹ̀.
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 Mo rí gbogbo alààyè tí ń rìn lábẹ́ oòrùn, pẹ̀lú ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ kejì tí yóò gba ipò ọba yìí.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
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.
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
