1I’ve seen another evil thing on this earth. And it’s a heavy load on human beings. 2God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor. They have everything their hearts desire. But God doesn’t let them enjoy those things. Instead, strangers enjoy them. This doesn’t have any meaning. It’s a very evil thing.
3A man might have a hundred children. He might live a long time. But suppose he can’t enjoy his wealth. And suppose he isn’t buried in the proper way. Then it doesn’t matter how long he lives. I’m telling you that a baby that is born dead is better off than that man is. 4That kind of birth doesn’t have any meaning. The baby dies in darkness and leaves this world. And in darkness it is forgotten. 5It didn’t even see the sun. It didn’t know anything at all. But it has more rest than that man does. 6And that’s true even if he lives for 2,000 years but doesn’t get to enjoy his wealth. All people die and go to the grave, don’t they?
7People eat up everything they work to get.
But they are never satisfied.
8What advantage do wise people have
over those who are foolish?
What do poor people gain
by knowing how to act toward others?
9Being satisfied with what you have
is better than always wanting more.
That doesn’t have any meaning either.
It’s like chasing the wind.
10God has already planned what now exists.
He has already decided what a human being is.
No one can argue with someone
who is stronger.
11The more words people use,
the less meaning there is.
And that doesn’t help anyone.
12Who knows what’s good for a person? They live for only a few meaningless days. They pass through life like a shadow. Who can tell them what will happen on earth after they are gone?
1Mo ti rí ibi mìíràn lábẹ́ oòrùn. 2Ọlọ́run 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.
3Ọkùnrin kan le è ní ọgọ́ọ̀rún 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. 4Ó wà láìní ìtumọ̀, ó lọ nínú òkùnkùn, nínú òkùnkùn sì ni orúkọ rẹ̀ fi ara pamọ́ sí. 5Bí ó ti jẹ́ wí pé kò rí oòrùn tàbí mọ ohunkóhun, ó ní ọ̀pọ̀ ìsinmi ju ti ọkùnrin náà lọ. 6Kódà, 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?
7Gbogbo wàhálà tí ènìyàn ń ṣe nítorí àtijẹ ni
síbẹ̀ ikùn rẹ̀ kò yó rí
8Kí ni àǹfààní tí ọlọ́gbọ́n ènìyàn ní
lórí aṣiwèrè?
Kí ni èrè tálákà ènìyàn
nípa mímọ bí yóò ṣe hùwà níwájú àwọn tókù?
9Ohun tí ojú rí sàn
ju ìfẹnuwákiri lọ
Asán ni eléyìí pẹ̀lú
ó dàbí ẹni ń gbìyànjú àti mú afẹ́fẹ́.
10Ohunkóhun 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
11Ọ̀rọ̀ púpọ̀,
kì í ní ìtumọ̀
èrè wo ni ènìyàn ń rí nínú rẹ̀?
12Àbí, 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!
