1 I looked again and saw people being mistreated everywhere on earth. They were crying, but no one was there to offer comfort, and those who mistreated them were powerful. 2 I said to myself, “The dead are better off than the living. 3 But those who have never been born are better off than anyone else, because they have never seen the terrible things that happen on this earth.”
4 Then I realized that we work and do wonderful things just because we are jealous of others. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
5 Fools will fold their hands
and starve to death.
6 Yet a very little food
eaten in peace
is better than twice as much
earned from overwork
and chasing the wind.
7 Once again I saw that nothing on earth makes sense. 8 For example, some people don't have friends or family. But they are never satisfied with what they own, and they never stop working to get more. They should ask themselves, “Why am I always working to have more? Who will get what I leave behind?” What a senseless and miserable life!
It Is Better To Have a Friend
9 You are better having a friend than to be all alone, because then you will get more enjoyment out of what you earn. 10 If you fall, your friend can help you up. But if you fall without having a friend nearby, you are really in trouble. 11 If you sleep alone, you won't have anyone to keep you warm on a cold night. 12 Someone might be able to beat up one of you, but not both of you. As the saying goes, “A rope made from three strands of cord is hard to break.”
13 You may be poor and young, but if you are wise, you are better off than a foolish old king who won't listen to advice. 14 Even if you were not born into the royal family and have been a prisoner and poor, you can still be king. 15 I once saw everyone in the world follow a young leader who came to power after the king was gone. 16 His followers could not even be counted. But years from now, no one will praise him—this makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
Ehepeko, uupyakadhi nokwaanombili
1 Konima yaambika onda tala komahepeko agehe taga ningwa kohi yetango. Onda mono omahodhi gaahepekwa nokaye na omutalaleki; aahepeki yawo oya li aanankondo, ihe aahepekwa kaya li ye na omutalaleki. 2 Onkee ano nda tanga aasi mboka ya sa nale, oyo aanelago ye vule aantu mboka ye na omwenyo ngashingeyi. 3 Ihe omunelagolela e ya vule ayehe mboka yaali, oye ngoka inaa valwa noina mona uukolokoshi mboka tau longwa muuyuni.
4 Komeho onda dhimbulula kutya omaipyakidhilo agehe nuulaadhi miilonga owo okusilathana efupa. Naashika wo owaleelela nokutidha ombepo. 5 Egoya otali ihukata omaako e tali ikunya onyama yalyo lyene. 6 Ekaminina lyevululuko oli vule eshambekela lyu udha uupyakadhi nokutidha ombepo.
7 Naishewe onda mono ko oonkambadhala dhowala kohi yetango. 8 Oku na gumwe awikewike kee na mukwawo omutiyali, ke na wo omwanamati nenge omumwayina; ihe kape na ehulilo koonkambadhala dhe adhihe dhiilonga ye, omeho ge itaga kuta uuyamba. Ano otandi ihepekele lye notandi idhilike uuwanawa? Naashika wo owalalela nosha puka.
9 Yaali ye vule gumwe, oshoka oye na ondjambi ombwanawa yomaipyakidhilo giilonga yawo. 10 Oshoka gumwe ngele ta punduka, mukwawo ota vulu oku mu toola po, ihe yayee ngoka ta punduka po pwaa na mukwawo e mu toole po. 11 Natango tuu yaali nge ya lala pamwe, otaa ningilathana omuyenye, ihe gumwe oti ipupyaleke ngiini? 12 Ngele oku na ngoka ta matukile po gumwe, nena ayehe yaali otaye mu thikamene. Ongodhi ya yogohwa oondali ndatu, ihayi tokoka mbala. 13 Omugundjuka ohepele, ihe oku na oondunge, oku vule omukwaniilwa a kulupa kee na oondunge noke shi kulombwelwa, 14 nando a zile mondjedhililo a ka ninge omukwaniilwa, nenge a zile muuhepele a ka lele oshilongo. 15 Onda mono, nkene aanamwenyo ayehe mboka ya kala kohi yetango ya gama kombinga yomugundjuka ngoka te mu landula. 16 Kakwa li ku na ehulilo lyaantu ayehe mboka e ya kwatele komeho. Ihe aatekulu ye inaye mu nyanyukilwa. Osho ngaaka shika owaleelela nokutidha ombepo.
