Eclesiastes 8
1 Ania ti nasirib a tao? Maysa a tao daytoy a makaammo ti kaipapanan dagiti paspasamak iti biag. Parparaniagen ti kinasirib ti tao ti rupana ken mabaliwan ti kinaunget ti rupana.
Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
2 Ballaaganka nga agtungpal kadagiti bilin ti ari gapu iti sapata ti Dios a salaknibanna isuna.
My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
3 Saanka nga agdardaras a pumanaw iti presensiana, ken saanka a tumakder a dumanggay iti maysa a banag a dakes, ta ar-aramiden ti ari ti aniaman a tartarigagayanna.
Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
4 Agturturay ti sao ti ari, isu a siasino ti mangibaga kenkuana, “Ania ti ar-aramidem?
The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
5 Siasinoman a mangsalsalimetmet kadagiti bilbilin ti ari ket liklikanna iti pannakadangran. Mabigbig ti puso ti nasirib a tao ti umiso a pagturongan ken tiempo ti panangaramid.
Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
6 Ta adda ti umno a sungbat iti tunggal pasamak ken adda umno a tiempo ti panagsungbat, gapu ta adu ti pakariribukan ti tao.
For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
7 Awan ti makaammo no ania ti sumaruno a dumteng. Siasino ti makaibaga no ania ti dumteng?
No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
8 Awan siasinoman nga addaan ti turay iti anges ti biag a mangpasardeng iti panagang-anges, ken awan iti makaituray iti aldaw ti pannakatayna. Awan ti maikkat manipud iti armada kabayatan ti pannakiranget, ken saan nga ispalen ti kinadangkes dagiti tagabuna.
No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
9 Naamirisko amin dagitoy; inusarko ti pusok iti amin a kita ti trabaho a maar-aramid iti baba ti init. Adda iti tiempo a ti tao ket addaan iti pannakabalin nga agaramid iti kinadakes kadagiti dadduma.
I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
10 Isu a nakitak ti nadangkes a silalatak a naitanem. Naiyapanda iti nasantoan a disso ken naitabon ken indaydayaw ida dagiti tattao iti siudad a nangaramidanda kadagiti kinadakes. Awan met laeng serserbina daytoy.
Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
11 No saan a maaramid a dagus ti dusa maibusor iti dakes a krimen, aw-awisenna dagiti puso dagiti tattao nga agaramid iti kinadakes.
When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
12 Uray no agaramid iti dakes ti managbasol iti maminggasut a daras ket agbiag latta isuna iti atiddug a tiempo, ngem ammok a nasayaatto ti mapasamak kadagiti mangraraem iti Dios, dagiti mangidaydayaw iti presensiana kadakuada.
Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
13 Ngem saanto a nasayaat ti mapasamak iti nadangkes a tao; saanto a mapaatiddug ti biagna. Kasla aglablabas nga aniniwan dagiti aldawna gapu ta saanna nga idaydayaw ti Dios.
In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
14 Adda pay ti kasla awan serserbina nga alingasaw—maysa pay a banag a maar-aramid iti rabaw ti daga. Mapaspasamak dagiti banbanag kadagiti nalinteg a tattao a kas mapaspasamak kadagiti nadangkes a tattao ken mapaspasamak dagiti banbanag kadagiti nadangkes a tattao a kas mapaspasamak dagitoy kadagiti nalinteg a tattao. Ibagak a daytoy ket awan met laeng serserbina nga alingasaw.
Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
15 Isu nga isingasingko ti kinaragsak, gapu ta awan ti nasaysayaat a banag para iti tao iti baba ti init ngem ti mangan ken uminom ken agragsak. Ti kinaragsak ti mangkuyog kenkuana iti trabahona iti amin nga al-aldaw ti biagna nga inted ti Dios kenkuana iti baba ti init.
So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
16 Idi inusarko ti pusok a mangammo iti kinasirib ken tapno maawatak dagiti trabaho a maar-aramid iti rabaw ti daga, masansan a maar-aramid ti trabaho nga awan ti turog iti rabii ken iti aldaw,
When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
17 kalpasanna pinanunotko dagiti amin nga aramid ti Dios, ken saan a maawatan dayta a tao ti trabaho a maar-aramid iti baba ti init. Uray no kasano ti panagbannog ti tao a mangbiruk kadagiti sungbat, saanna a masarakan dagitoy. Uray no patien ti masirib a tao a nalabit nga ammona, saanna a pudno nga ammo.
Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
