Ecclesiastes 7
1 Orúkọ rere sàn ju ìpara olóòórùn dídùn lọ, ọjọ́ ikú sì dára ju ọjọ́ tí a bí ènìyàn lọ.
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
2 Ó dára láti lọ sí ilé ọ̀fọ̀ ju ibi àsè, nítorí pé ikú jẹ́ àyànmọ́ gbogbo ènìyàn; kí alààyè ní èyí ní ọkàn.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
3 Ìbànújẹ́ dára ju ẹ̀rín lọ, ó le è mú kí ojú rẹ̀ dàrú, ṣùgbọ́n yóò jẹ́ kí àyà rẹ le.
Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Ọkàn ọlọ́gbọ́n wà ní ilé ọ̀fọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n ọkàn òmùgọ̀ ní ilé àríyá.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
5 Ó dára láti gba ìbáwí ọlọ́gbọ́n, ju fífetísílẹ̀ sí orin òmùgọ̀ lọ.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
6 Gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹ̀gún ti ń dún lábẹ́ ìkòkò ni ẹ̀rín òmùgọ̀. Asán sì ni eléyìí pẹ̀lú.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
7 Ìrẹ́jẹ a máa sọ ọlọ́gbọ́n di òmùgọ̀, àbẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ sì máa ń ba ìwà jẹ́ ni.
For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
8 Òpin ọ̀rọ̀ dára ju ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ rẹ̀ lọ, sùúrù sì dára ju ìgbéraga lọ.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Má ṣe yára bínú ní ọkàn rẹ nítorí pé orí ẹsẹ̀ òmùgọ̀ ni ìbínú ń gbé.
Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
10 Má ṣe sọ wí pé, “Kí ni ìdí tí àtijọ́ fi dára ju èyí?” Nítorí pé, kò mú ọgbọ́n wá láti béèrè irú ìbéèrè bẹ́ẹ̀.
Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
11 Ọgbọ́n, gẹ́gẹ́ bí ogún ìní jẹ́ ohun tí ó dára ó sì ṣe àwọn tí ó rí oòrùn láǹfààní.
Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
12 Ọgbọ́n jẹ́ ààbò gẹ́gẹ́ bí owó ti jẹ́ ààbò ṣùgbọ́n àǹfààní òye ni èyí pé ọgbọ́n a máa tọ́jú ẹ̀mí ẹni tí ó bá ní.
For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
13 Wo ohun tí Ọlọ́run ti ṣe: “Ta ni ó le è to ohun tí ó ti ṣe ní wíwọ́?”
Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
14 Nígbà tí àkókò bá dára, jẹ́ kí inú rẹ dùn, ṣùgbọ́n nígbà tí àkókò kò bá dára, rò ó: Ọlọ́run tí ó dá èkínní náà ni ó dá èkejì. Nítorí náà, ènìyàn kò le è ṣàwárí ohun kankan nípa ọjọ́ iwájú rẹ̀.
On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
15 Nínú ayé àìní ìtumọ̀ yìí ni mo ti rí gbogbo èyí ènìyàn olóòtítọ́, ọkùnrin olódodo ń parun nínú òtítọ́ rẹ̀ ìkà ènìyàn sì ń gbé ìgbé ayé pípẹ́ nínú ìkà rẹ̀.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
16 Má ṣe jẹ́ olódodo jùlọ tàbí ọlọ́gbọ́n jùlọ kí ló dé tí o fi fẹ́ pa ara rẹ run?
Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
17 Ìwọ ma ṣe búburú jùlọ kí ìwọ má sì ṣe aṣiwèrè, èéṣe tí ìwọ yóò fi kú kí ọjọ́ rẹ tó pé
Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
18 Ó dára láti mú ọ̀kan kí o má sì ṣe fi èkejì sílẹ̀. Ọkùnrin tí ó bẹ̀rù Ọlọ́run yóò bọ́ lọ́wọ́ gbogbo àrékérekè.
It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
19 Ọgbọ́n máa ń mú kí ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn ní agbára ju alákòóso mẹ́wàá lọ ní ìlú.
Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
20 Kò sí olódodo ènìyàn kan láyé tí ó ṣe ohun tí ó tọ́ tí kò dẹ́ṣẹ̀ rárá.
For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
21 Má ṣe kíyèsi gbogbo ọ̀rọ̀ tí ènìyàn ń sọ bí bẹ́ẹ̀ kọ́, o le è gbọ́ pé ìránṣẹ́ rẹ ń ṣépè fún ọ.
Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 Tí o sì mọ̀ nínú ọkàn rẹ pé ọ̀pọ̀ ìgbà ni ìwọ fúnra rẹ̀ ti ṣépè fún àwọn ẹlòmíràn.
For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
23 Gbogbo èyí ni mo ti dánwò nípa ọgbọ́n, tí mo sì wí pé, “Mo pinnu láti jẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n”; ṣùgbọ́n eléyìí ti jù mí lọ.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Ohun tí ó wù kí ọgbọ́n le è jẹ́, ó ti lọ jìnnà, ó sì jinlẹ̀ ta ni ó le è ṣe àwárí rẹ̀?
Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
25 Mo wá rò ó nínú ọkàn mi láti mọ̀, láti wá àti láti ṣàwárí ọgbọ́n àti ìdí ohun gbogbo, àti láti mọ ìwà àgọ́ búburú àti ti ìsínwín tàbí òmùgọ̀.
Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
26 Mo rí ohun tí ó korò ju ikú lọ obìnrin tí ó jẹ́ ẹ̀bìtì, tí ọkàn rẹ̀ jẹ́ tàkúté tí ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sì jẹ́ ẹ̀wọ̀n, ọkùnrin tí ó bá tẹ́ Ọlọ́run lọ́rùn yóò le è yọ sílẹ̀ ṣùgbọ́n ẹni dẹ́ṣẹ̀ kò le è bọ́ nínú tàkúté rẹ̀.
And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
27 Oniwaasu wí pé, “Wò ó, eléyìí ni ohun tí mo ti ṣàwárí: “Mímú ohun kan pọ̀ mọ́ òmíràn láti ṣàwárí ìdí ohun gbogbo.
Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
28 Nígbà tí mo sì ń wá a kiri ṣùgbọ́n tí n kò rí i mo rí ọkùnrin tí ó dúró dáradára kan láàrín ẹgbẹ̀rún, ṣùgbọ́n n kò rí obìnrin, kankan kí ó dúró láàrín gbogbo wọn.
What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
29 Eléyìí nìkan ni mo tí ì rí: Ọlọ́run dá ìran ènìyàn dáradára, ṣùgbọ́n ènìyàn ti lọ láti ṣàwárí ohun púpọ̀.”
Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
