1 Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side. 2 I envy those who are dead and gone; they are better off than those who are still alive. 3 But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.
4 I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind. 5 They say that we would be fools to fold our hands and let ourselves starve to death. 6 Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.
7 I have noticed something else in life that is useless. 8 Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too—and a miserable way to live.
9 Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. 10 If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him. 11 If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself? 12 Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.
13-14 Someone may rise from poverty to become king of his country, or go from prison to the throne, but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advice, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent. 15 I thought about all the people who live in this world, and I realized that somewhere among them there is a young man who will take the king's place. 16 There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.
1 Tjazumba arire tji mba munu rukwao inga omaṋiṋikiziro aehe nge tjitwa mouye mbwi. Tara, imba ovaṋiṋikiziwa ve ṱoruhoze, nungwari owo kave na ngu meve yarura omitima pehi, imba ovaṋiṋikize vawo tjinga e ri mbe nouvara, nu tjinga ape hi na ngu meve yama. 2 Ami otji me tanga ovaṱi mba koka rukuru; owo ombe ri ovaṋingandu pu imba mbe nomuinyo nga mba. 3 Nungwari omuṋingandu tjinene pu wo aveyevari eye ngwi ingee ngu hiya kwatwa, nu ngu hi na wa mwine ouhasemba mbu tjitwa mouye.
4 Ami wina mba muna kutja ongondjero aihe noviungura avihe vyovandu vi za mokuṱasana eruru. Nungwari imbi omungandjo; kwa sana nokurambera ombepo uriri. 5 Owo ve tja omundu eyova u nyuta omake we, nu e ritarere ama ṱondjara. 6 Okokuwa okukara noviṋa oviṱiṱi meke rimwe au nohange komeho yokukara nomake ayeyevari nge ura nozongondjero, nu tjandje okwo okurambera ombepo uriri.
7 Norukwao ami mba muna otjiṋa tjarwe tji tjiri omungandjo mouye mbwi: 8 Pe nomundu ngwa tura erike ṱii. Eye ke nomuatje nu ke nomuzamumwe, nungwari kongondjero yoviungura vye kaku nondjandero, nomeho we kaye kovisiwa i outumbe. Nungwari hapo eye u ungurira uṋe nouzeu nai, tje rikaerisa evyaro arihe? Imbi avihe omungandjo uriri, nu oviṋa vyoposyo.
9 Okokuwa tji mu ri mu vevari komeho yokurira umwe ṱii, orondu ovandu vevari ve nondjambi ombwa mongondjero yoviungura vyawo. 10 Orondu umwe tja u, omukwao me mu yeura; nungwari omundu tje ri erike na u, owee ku ye, tjinga ape hi na warwe ngu me mu vatere. 11 Rukwao, ovandu vevari tji va rara pamwe, mave pasana oupyu; nungwari omundu tja rara erike ma sora vi okumuna oupyu? 12 Nomundu worive tja rwisa umwe wawo, aveyevari mave sora okumupirukira; nongoze ndja mangwa pozongoze ndatu kamaai porwa oupupu.
13 Okokuwa okurira omutanda omusyona, nungwari onongo, komurungu wokurira ombara ongururume, nungwari eyova, nu ndji ha vanga okurongwa. 14 Ingwi omutanda ngwa piti motjovakamburwa rumwe ma karira ombara, nandarire kutja wa kwatwa omusyona mouhona eye mbu maa kahonaparera. 15 Ami mba muna kutja imba ovanamuinyo avehe mbe ryanga mouye auhe va ri komukuma womuzandu omutanda ngwi ngwa rira omupingene wombara. 16 Kapa ri ondjandero kotjivaro tjovandu avehe ombara mbu ya honaparera. Nungwari oyo tji ya zu po, inḓa ozondekurona tjandje kaze nohange noviungura vyayo. Wina avihe mbi omungandjo, nu okurambera ombepo uriri.
