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.
For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this; that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.
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.
All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; [and] he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
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 an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.
4 Ẹnikẹ́ni tí ó wà láàrín alààyè ní ìrètí—kódà ààyè ajá sàn dáradára ju òkú kìnnìún lọ!
For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope: for 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 shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; 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.
As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that 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.
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
8 Máa wọ aṣọ funfun nígbàkígbà kí o sì máa fi òróró yan orí rẹ nígbà gbogbo.
Let thy garments be always white; and let not thy head lack ointment.
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.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest 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)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (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 returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but fame and chance happeneth to them all.
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.
For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so, are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13 Mo sì tún rí àpẹẹrẹ ọgbọ́n tí ó dùn mọ́ mi lábẹ́ oòrùn.
I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
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 little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
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.
Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same 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.
Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 Ọ̀rọ̀ pẹ̀lẹ́ ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn a máa wà ní ìmúṣẹ ju igbe òmùgọ̀ alákòóso lọ.
The words of the wise [spoken] in quiet are heard more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
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: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
