Ecclesiastes 9
1 Nígbà náà ni mo wá ronú lórí gbogbo èyí, tí mo sì parí rẹ̀ pé, olóòtọ́ àti ọlọ́gbọ́n àti ohun tí wọ́n ń ṣe wà ní ọwọ́ Ọlọ́run, ṣùgbọ́n kò sí ènìyàn tí ó mọ̀ bóyá ìfẹ́ tàbí ìríra ni ó ń dúró de òun.
I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.
2 Àyànmọ́ kan náà ni gbogbo wọn yàn—olóòtọ́ àti ènìyàn búburú, rere àti ibi, mímọ́ àti àìmọ́, àwọn tí ó ń rú ẹbọ àti àwọn tí kò rú ẹbọ. Bí ó ti rí pẹ̀lú ènìyàn rere bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni ó rí pẹ̀lú ẹni tó dẹ́ṣẹ̀ bí ó ti rí pẹ̀lú àwọn tí ó ń ṣe ìbúra bẹ́ẹ̀ náà ni ó rí pẹ̀lú àwọn tí ó ń bẹ̀rù láti ṣe ìbúra.
But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.
3 Ohun búburú ni èyí jẹ́ nínú gbogbo ohun tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ oòrùn. Ìpín kan ṣoṣo ni ó ń dúró de gbogbo wọn, ọkàn ènìyàn pẹ̀lú kún fún ibi, ìsínwín sì wà ní ọkàn wọn nígbà tí wọ́n wà láààyè àti nígbà tí wọ́n bá darapọ̀ mọ́ òkú.
This is a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell. (questioned)
4 Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó wà láàrín alààyè ní ìrètí—kódà ààyè ajá sàn dáradára ju òkú kìnnìún lọ!
There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. A living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Nítorí pé ẹni tí ó wà láààyè mọ̀ wí pé àwọn yóò kú ṣùgbọ́n òkú kò mọ ohun kan wọn kò ní èrè kankan mọ́, àti pé kódà ìrántí wọn tí di ohun ìgbàgbé.
For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Ìfẹ́ wọn, ìríra wọn, àti ìlara wọn ti parẹ́: láéláé kọ́ ni wọn yóò tún ní ìpín nínú ohunkóhun tí ó ń ṣẹlẹ̀ lábẹ́ oòrùn.
Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work which is done under the sun.
7 Lọ jẹ oúnjẹ rẹ pẹ̀lú ayọ̀, kí o sì mu ọtí wáìnì rẹ pẹ̀lú inú dídùn dé ọkàn, nítorí pé ìsinsin yìí ni Ọlọ́run síjú àánú wo ohun tí o ṣe.
So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.
8 Máa wọ aṣọ funfun nígbàkígbà kí o sì máa fi òróró yan orí rẹ nígbà gbogbo.
Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.
9 Máa jẹ ayé pẹ̀lú ìyàwó rẹ, ẹni tí o fẹ́ràn, ní gbogbo ọjọ́ ayé àìní ìtumọ̀ yí tí Ọlọ́run ti fi fún ọ lábẹ́ oòrùn—gbogbo ọjọ́ àìní ìtumọ̀ rẹ. Nítorí èyí ni ìpín tìrẹ ní ayé àti nínú iṣẹ́ wàhálà rẹ ní abẹ́ oòrùn.
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor under the sun.
10 Ohunkóhun tí ọwọ́ rẹ bá rí láti ṣe, ṣe é pẹ̀lú gbogbo agbára rẹ, nítorí kò sí iṣẹ́ ṣíṣe tàbí ìpinnu tàbí ìmọ̀ tàbí ọgbọ́n nínú isà òkú níbi tí ò ń lọ. (Sheol h7585)
Whatever your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying. (Sheol h7585)
11 Mo ti rí ohun mìíràn lábẹ́ oòrùn. Eré ìje kì í ṣe fún ẹni tí ó yára tàbí ogun fún alágbára, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni oúnjẹ kò wà fún ọlọ́gbọ́n tàbí ọrọ̀ fún ẹni tí ó ní òye tàbí ojúrere fún ẹni tí ó ní ìmọ̀; ṣùgbọ́n ìgbà àti èsì ń ṣẹlẹ̀ sí gbogbo wọn.
I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skillful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.
12 Síwájú sí i, kò sí ẹni tí ó mọ ìgbà tí àkókò rẹ̀ yóò dé, gẹ́gẹ́ bí a ti ń mú ẹja nínú àwọ̀n búburú tàbí tí a ń mú ẹyẹ nínú okùn gẹ́gẹ́ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a ń mú ènìyàn ní àkókò ibi tí ó ṣubú lù wọ́n láìròtẹ́lẹ̀.
Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.
13 Mo sì tún rí àpẹẹrẹ ọgbọ́n tí ó dùn mọ́ mi lábẹ́ oòrùn.
This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.
14 Ìlú kékeré kan tí ènìyàn díẹ̀ wà nínú rẹ̀ wà ní ìgbà kan rí. Ọba alágbára kan sì ṣígun tọ ìlú náà lọ, ó yí i po, ó sì kọ́ ilé ìṣọ́ tí ó tóbi lòdì sí i.
There was a small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.
15 Ṣùgbọ́n, tálákà ọkùnrin tí ó jẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n kan ń gbé ní ìlú náà, ó sì gba gbogbo ìlú u rẹ̀ là pẹ̀lú ọgbọ́n rẹ̀. Ṣùgbọ́n kò sí ẹni tí ó rántí ọkùnrin tálákà náà.
And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.
16 Nítorí náà mo sọ wí pé, “Ọgbọ́n dára ju agbára.” Ṣùgbọ́n a kẹ́gàn ọgbọ́n ọkùnrin tálákà náà, wọn kò sì mú ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ ṣe.
And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?
17 Ọ̀rọ̀ pẹ̀lẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn a máa wà ní ìmúṣẹ ju igbe òmùgọ̀ alákòóso lọ.
The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish.
18 Ọgbọ́n dára ju ohun èlò ogun lọ, ṣùgbọ́n ẹnìkan tó dẹ́ṣẹ̀ a máa ba ohun dídára púpọ̀ jẹ́.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things.
