1 Ami mba muna otjipo tjimwe tji tji ṋiṋikiza ovandu mouye mbwi: 2 Porumwe Ndjambi ma yandja outumbe nouini nondjozikiro komundu, kokutja a ha kaere otjiṋa mu imbi avihe mbi ma zeri; nu vari Ndjambi ke nokumuyandjera kutja a vyare mu vyo; nungwari omundu wozonganda ongu ma vyara mu vyo. Avihe mbi omungandjo, nu ma rire omuhihamo omuzeu. 3 Porumwe omundu ma kwata ovanatje esere rimwe na hupu orure; nungwari nandarire kutja eye wa hupu orure pu pe ṱeki pi, eye tje hi nokukara nondjoroka na ha munu ombakero ombwa, ami me tja okanatje ku ka kwatwa nokuhinomuinyo oko okananḓengu pu ye. 4 Oko ka yenda monḓorera, nu make yaruka monḓorera; nandarire ena rako mari vandekwa i onḓorera. 5 Oko kamaake munu ondjerera yeyuva, nu kamaake tjiwa kutja omuinyo otjikeṋa, nungwari oko ka muna omasuviro pu ye. 6 Nandarire kutja omundu kaaṋi ma hupu oure wozombura omayovi yevari, eye kamaa kara nenyando mehupiro re. Indu nai aveyevari kave nokuyenda koṋa kumwe are?
7 Omundu u ungura oviungura vye avihe kokutja a mune otjiṋa okurya, nungwari onḓero ye kai kovisiwa. 8 Omundu onongo u nonḓengu yatjike peyova? Nu mape vatere tjike komusyona, nanda tjiwa okuritjinda nawa komurungu wovandu ovakwao? 9 Okokuwa okukara nohange na imbi mbi u na vyo komeho yokuvanga okukara notjiṋa tjarwe aruhe. Imbi wina omungandjo, nu vi ri tjimuna okurambera ombepo uriri.
10 Otjiṋa atjihe tji tja kara okuza koruveze orukuru tji nena ratjo; omundu wina u tjiukwa kutja eye otjikeṋa; eye kamaa sora okupatasana na ingwi ngu nomasa pu ye. 11 Punga amo patasana tjinene, omambo woye opunga amaye ririre ko omungandjo; nomundu hapo ma munine po tjike mu wo? 12 Owaṋi ngu ma tjiwa kutja otjiṋa otjikeṋa tji tji ri otjiwa komundu moure womuinyo we omusupi mbu kapita otja otjizire? Owaṋi ngu ma sora okuserekarera omundu imbi mbi maavi katjitwa mouye mbwi kombunda yonḓiro ye?
1 I have noticed that in this world a serious injustice is done. 2 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right. 3 We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off. 4 It does that baby no good to be born; it disappears into darkness, where it is forgotten. 5 It never sees the light of day or knows what life is like, but at least it has found rest— 6 more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.
7 We do all our work just to get something to eat, but we never have enough. 8 How are the wise better off than fools? What good does it do the poor to know how to face life? 9 It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.
10 Everything that happens was already determined long ago, and we all know that you cannot argue with someone who is stronger than you. 11 The longer you argue, the more useless it is, and you are no better off. 12 How can anyone know what is best for us in this short, useless life of ours—a life that passes like a shadow? How can we know what will happen in the world after we die?
