Ecclesiastes 7
1 A [good] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Ezi aha ka mma karịa mmanụ isi ụtọ. Ụbọchị mmadụ nwụrụ ka ụbọchị a mụrụ ya mma.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Ọ kaara gị mma ije nʼebe a na-eru ụjụ karịa ebe a na-eri na-aṅụ. Nʼihi na ọnwụ dịịrị mmadụ ọbụla; ndị dị ndụ kwesiri iburu nke a nʼobi.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
Iru ụjụ ka ịchị ọchị mma, ihu gbarụrụ agbarụ na-enyere obi aka
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Onye maara ihe na-eche echiche banyere ọnwụ, ma onye nzuzu na-eche naanị banyere ikpori ndụ.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ọ ka mma ige ntị nye mba onye maara ihe karịa ịṅa ntị nʼabụ ndị na-enweghị uche na-abụ.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Ọchị onye nzuzu dị ka mkpọtụ nke ogwu na-ere ọkụ na-eme nʼokpuru ite. Ihe a bụkwa ihe efu.
7 Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
Iji anya ike nara mmadụ ihe na-eme ka onye mara ihe ghọọ onye nzuzu, iri ngarị na-emerụ obi mmadụ.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Ọgwụgwụ ihe ọbụla dị mma karịa mmalite ya! Ogologo ntachiobi dị mma karịa mpako!
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Abụla onye na-ewe iwe ọsịịsọ, nʼihi na iwe bụ oke ndị nzuzu.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Asịla, “Gịnị mere ụbọchị gara aga ji dị mma karịa ụbọchị ndị a?” Nʼihi na ọ bụghị amamihe ị jụ ajụjụ dị otu a.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
Amamihe dịka ihe nketa, bụ ihe dị mma. Ọ na-abara uru nye ndị na-ahụ anyanwụ anya.
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
Amamihe bụ ndo dịka ego si bụrụkwa ndo, ma ụzọ ihe ọmụma ji dị mma karịa bụ nke a: Amamihe na-echebe ndụ ndị nwere ya.
13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
Chee echiche banyere ihe Chineke na-eme. Mmadụ ọ pụrụ ime ka ọ dịzie adịzie, bụ ihe Chineke mere ka ọ gbagọọ agbagọ?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that shall be] after him.
Mgbe ihe na-agara gị nke ọma, ṅụrịa ọṅụ, nʼihi ọ dịrị gị mma, ma mgbe mmekpa ahụ batara, mata nke ọma na Chineke onye na-enye ọnọdụ ọma makwa ihe banyere ọnọdụ ọjọọ. Ya mere, o nweghị onye ọbụla nwere ike ịchọpụta ọdịnihu ya.
15 All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
Ndụ m nʼụwa a bụ ihe efu, ahụla m ihe abụọ ndị a; onye ezi omume na-anwụ nʼezi omume ya, ma onye na-emebi iwu na-ebi ogologo ndụ na mmebi iwu ya.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Nʼihi ya, abụbigala onye ezi omume oke, emekwala onwe gị onye mabigara ihe oke. Gịnị mere i ji achọ igbu onwe gị?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Abụbigala onye na-emefe ajọ omume oke, abụkwala onye nzuzu! Gịnị ka ị ga-eji nwụọ mgbe oge gị na-erubeghị?
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
Ọ dị mma ijide otu na-esepụghị aka na nke ọzọ, onye na-atụ egwu Chineke ga-enweta uru nʼime ha abụọ.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city.
Amamihe na-eme ka otu onye dị ike karịa mmadụ iri na-achị otu obodo.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Gbaa ụwa niile gburugburu, ọ dịghị otu onye bụ onye ezi omume, ọ dịghị onye na-eme ihe ziri ezi nke na-adịghị eme mmehie mgbe ọbụla.
21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Egela ntị nʼihe niile ndị mmadụ na-ekwu, ị pụrụ ịnụ nkọcha nke ohu gị na-akọcha gị.
22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
Gị onwe gị maara na ọtụtụ oge, ị na-akọchakwa ndị ọzọ.
23 All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Agbalịsiela m ike inwe nghọta. Ekwuru m sị, “Aga m abụ onye amamihe,” ma nke a karịrị m.
24 That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
Amamihe adịghị mfe inweta, ọ dị omimi nke ukwuu; ọ bụ onye pụrụ ịchọpụta ya?
25 I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness:
A tụgharịrị uche m ka m ghọta, iledo na ịchọpụta amamihe na atụmatụ otu ihe niile si dị na ịghọtakwa nzuzu nke dị na ajọ omume na ịyị ara nke dị na enweghị uche.
26 And I find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Achọpụtara m na ọ dị ihe dị ilu karịa ọnwụ, ihe ahụ bụ nwanyị. Obi ya dị ka ụgbụ. Otu a kwa, aka o ji ejikụ gị dị ka ụdọ igwe. Onye ahụ na-eme ihe na-atọ Chineke ụtọ na-esi nʼaka ya gbapụ, ma ndị mmehie ka ọ na-enwude nʼọnya ya.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher; [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account:
“Lee, Ihe a ka m chọpụtara,” ka onye nkuzi kwuru: “Site nʼịtụkwasị otu ihe nʼelu ibe ya ka m matara isi ihe niile.
28 which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Mgbe m ka na-achọ ma achọtaghị m, nʼetiti puku mmadụ ndị ikom, achọtara m otu onye aka ya dị ọcha, ma ọ dịghị otu nwanyị m chọtara nʼetiti ha.
29 Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Achọpụtara m naanị nke a, Chineke mere ndị mmadụ ka ha bụrụ ndị ụzọ ha ziri ezi, ma ha atụgharịala chọrọ ọtụtụ ihe nchepụta gawa.”
