Suffering, Hard Work and No Friends
1I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth.
I saw the tears of those who are suffering.
They don’t have anyone to comfort them.
Power is on the side of those who treat them badly.
Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.
2Then I announced that those
who have already died
are happier than those
who are still alive.
3But someone who hasn’t been born yet
is better off than the dead or the living.
That’s because that person hasn’t seen the evil things
that are done on earth.
4I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
5Foolish people fold their hands and don’t work.
And that destroys them.
6One handful with peace and quiet
is better than two handfuls with hard work.
Working too hard is like chasing the wind.
7Again I saw something on earth that didn’t mean anything.
8A man lived all by himself.
He didn’t have any sons or brothers.
His hard work never ended.
But he wasn’t happy with what he had.
“Who am I working so hard for?” he asked.
“Why don’t I get the things I enjoy?”
That doesn’t have any meaning either.
In fact, it’s a very bad deal!
9Two people are better than one.
They can help each other in everything they do.
10Suppose either of them falls down.
Then the one can help the other one up.
But suppose a person falls down and doesn’t have anyone to help them up.
Then feel sorry for that person!
11Or suppose two people lie down together.
Then they’ll keep warm.
But how can one person keep warm alone?
12One person could be overpowered.
But two people can stand up for themselves.
And a rope made out of three cords isn’t easily broken.
Getting Ahead Is Meaningless
13A poor but wise young man is better off than an old but foolish king. That king doesn’t pay attention to a warning anymore. 14The young man might have come from prison to become king. Or he might have been born poor within the kingdom but still became king. 15I saw that everyone was following the young man who had become the new king. 16At first, all the people served him when he became king. But those who came later weren’t pleased with the way he was ruling. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
Ìnilára, làálàá, àti àìlọ́rẹ̀ẹ́
1Mo 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.
2Mo jowú àwọn tí wọ́n ti kú
tí wọ́n sì ti lọ,
ó sàn fún wọn ju àwọn
tí wọ́n sì wà láààyè lọ.
3Nítòótọ́, 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.
4Mo 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.
5Aṣiwèrè ká ọwọ́ rẹ̀ kò
ó sì ba tara rẹ̀ jẹ́.
6Oúnjẹ ẹ̀kúnwọ́ kan pẹ̀lú ìdákẹ́ jẹ́ẹ́jẹ́ sàn ju ẹ̀kúnwọ́ méjì pẹ̀lú wàhálà,
àti gbígba ìyànjú àti lé afẹ́fẹ́ lọ.
7Lẹ́ẹ̀kan sí i, mo tún rí ohun asán kan lábẹ́ oòrùn:
8Ọkùnrin 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!
9Ẹni méjì sàn ju ẹnìkan,
nítorí wọ́n ní èrè rere fún làálàá wọn:
10Tí 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!
11Àti pẹ̀lú pé, bí ẹni méjì bá sùn pọ̀, wọn yóò móoru.
Ṣùgbọ́n báwo ni ẹnìkan ṣe le è dá nìkan móoru?
12Bí 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.
Asán ni ipò gíga
13Òtòṣì ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ tí ó ṣe ọlọ́gbọ́n, ó sàn ju arúgbó àti aṣiwèrè ọba lọ tí kò mọ bí yóò ti ṣe gba ìmọ̀ràn, 14Nítorí pé láti inú túbú ni ó ti jáde láti jẹ ọba, bí a tilẹ̀ bí i ní tálákà ní ìjọba rẹ̀. 15Mo rí gbogbo alààyè tí ń rìn lábẹ́ oòrùn, pẹ̀lú ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ kejì tí yóò gba ipò ọba yìí. 16Gbogbo 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.
