< Ecclesiastes 6 >
1 Mo ti rí ibi mìíràn lábẹ́ oòrùn.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;
2 Ọlọ́run fún ọkùnrin kan ní ọrọ̀, ọlá àti ọlà kí ó má ba à ṣe aláìní ohunkóhun tí ọkàn rẹ̀ ń fẹ́. Ṣùgbọ́n, Ọlọ́run kò fún un ní àǹfààní láti gbádùn wọn, dípò èyí, àlejò ni ó ń gbádùn wọn. Asán ni èyí, ààrùn búburú gbá à ni.
A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.
3 Ọkùnrin kan le è ní ọgọ́rùn-ún ọmọ kí ó sì wà láààyè fún ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ọdún, síbẹ̀ kò sí bí ó ti le wà láààyè pẹ́ tó, bí kò bá le è gbádùn ohun ìní rẹ̀ kí ó sì gba ìsìnkú tí ó tọ́, mo sọ wí pé ọlẹ̀ ọmọ tí a sin sàn jù ú lọ.
If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.
4 Ó wà láìní ìtumọ̀, ó lọ nínú òkùnkùn, nínú òkùnkùn sì ni orúkọ rẹ̀ fi ara pamọ́ sí.
In wind it came and to the dark it will go, and with the dark will its name be covered.
5 Bí ó ti jẹ́ wí pé kò rí oòrùn tàbí mọ ohunkóhun, ó ní ọ̀pọ̀ ìsinmi ju ti ọkùnrin náà lọ.
Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.
6 Kódà, bí ó wà láààyè fún ẹgbẹ̀rún ọdún méjì yípo ṣùgbọ́n tí ó kùnà láti gbádùn ohun ìní rẹ̀. Kì í ṣe ibìkan ni gbogbo wọn ń lọ?
And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?
7 Gbogbo wàhálà tí ènìyàn ń ṣe nítorí àtijẹ ni síbẹ̀ ikùn rẹ̀ kò yó rí.
All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.
8 Kí ni àǹfààní tí ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn ní lórí aṣiwèrè? Kí ni èrè tálákà ènìyàn nípa mímọ bí yóò ṣe hùwà níwájú àwọn tókù?
What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?
9 Ohun tí ojú rí sàn ju ìfẹnuwákiri lọ. Asán ni eléyìí pẹ̀lú ó dàbí ẹni ń gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́.
What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
10 Ohunkóhun tí ó bá ti wà ti ní orúkọ, ohun tí ènìyàn jẹ́ sì ti di mí mọ̀; kò sí ènìyàn tí ó le è ja ìjàkadì pẹ̀lú ẹni tí ó lágbára jù ú lọ.
That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.
11 Ọ̀rọ̀ púpọ̀, kì í ní ìtumọ̀ èrè wo ni ènìyàn ń rí nínú rẹ̀?
There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?
12 Àbí, ta ni ó mọ ohun tí ó dára fún ènìyàn ní ayé fún ọjọ́ ayé kúkúrú àti asán tí ó ń là kọjá gẹ́gẹ́ bí òjìji? Ta ni ó le è sọ fún mi, ohun tí yóò ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ oòrùn lẹ́yìn tí ó bá lọ tán? Kò sí!
Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?