Manugwali 4
Ang Pulong Sang Dios
4 Nakita ko pa gid ang mga pagpamigos diri sa kalibutan. Nakita ko ang mga paghibi sang mga ginapigos, kag wala sing may nagalipay kag nagapalig-on sa ila. Gamhanan ang mga nagapamigos sa ila. 2 Gani nakasiling ako nga mas maayo pa ang mga patay sang sa mga buhi. 3 Pero mas maayo pa gid ang mga wala pa matawo, nga wala makakita sang mga kalautan diri sa kalibutan.
4 Nakita ko man nga ang tawo nagapangabudlay kag nagahimo gid sa iya masarangan kay nahisa siya sa iya isigkatawo. Wala man ini sing pulos; daw pareho lang nga nagalagas ka sa hangin.
5 Ang buang-buang nga tawo nagatinamad, kag tungod sini ginaguba niya ang iya kaugalingon. 6 Mas maayo pa nga diutay lang ang imo pagkaon nga may kalinong ka sang sa madamo ang imo pagkaon nga nagpangabudlay ka gid, nga wala man lang sing pulos. Daw pareho lang nga nagalagas ka sa hangin.
7 May nakita pa ako diri sa kalibutan nga wala sing pulos: 8 May isa ka tawo nga nagaisahanon lang. Wala siya sing anak ukon utod, pero wala sing untat ang iya pagpangabudlay, kag indi siya kontento sa iya manggad. Nagsiling siya sa iya kaugalingon, “Indi na ako makapangalipay sa sobra nga pagpangabudlay. Pero wala man ako sing may bilinan sang akon pinangabudlayan.” Wala ini sing pulos! Masubo ini nga klase sang pagpangabuhi!
9 Mas maayo kon may upod ka sang sa isa ka lang, kay amo ini ang maayo nga mahimo kon may upod ka: 10 kon ara ka sa kalisod, mabuligan ka sang imo upod. Pero makaluluoy ka kon ara ka sa kalisod nga wala sing may magbulig sa imo. 11 Kag kon matugnaw, makahuliray kamo sang imo upod kag makapainit-init. Pero paano ka makapainit-init kon ikaw lang isa? 12 Mahapos ka pierdihon kon ikaw lang isa, pero kon may upod ka mabudlay kamo pierdihon. Pareho bala sang lubid; kon tatlo ini ka doble, mabudlay ini bugtuon.
13 Mas maayo pa ang pamatan-on nga imol nga maalamon sang sa tigulang nga hari nga buang-buang, nga indi gusto laygayan. 14 Kag mahimo nga ang ato nga pamatan-on mangin hari bisan napriso siya, kag ang ato nga hari mangin imol bisan natawo siya sa harianon nga pamilya.[a] 15 Pero nareyalisar ko nga bisan madamo gid nga mga tawo diri sa kalibutan ang magsunod sa sadto nga pamatan-on nga nagbulos sa hari, 16 kag indi maisip ang mga tawo nga iya dumalahan, mahimo nga indi malipay sa iya ang ulihi nga mga henerasyon. Ini wala man sing pulos; daw pareho lang nga nagalagas ka sa hangin.
Footnotes
- 4:14 kag ang ato nga hari… pamilya: ukon, kag natawo siya nga imol sa ginharian sang sadto nga hari.
Ecclesiastes 4
New Century Version
Is It Better to Be Dead?
4 Again I saw all the people who were mistreated here on earth.
I saw their tears
and that they had no one to comfort them.
Cruel people had all the power,
and there was no one to comfort those they hurt.
2 I decided that the dead
are better off than the living.
3 But those who have never been born
are better off still;
they have not seen the evil
that is done here on earth.
Why Work So Hard?
4 I realized the reason people work hard and try to succeed: They are jealous of each other. This, too, is useless, like chasing the wind.
5 Some say it is foolish to fold your hands and do nothing,
because you will starve to death.
6 Maybe so, but I say it is better to be content
with what little you have.
Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more,
and that is like chasing the wind.
7 Again I saw something here on earth that was useless:
8 I saw a man who had no family,
no son or brother.
He always worked hard
but was never satisfied with what he had.
He never asked himself, “For whom am I working so hard?
Why don’t I let myself enjoy life?”
This also is very sad and useless.
Friends and Family Give Strength
9 Two people are better than one,
because they get more done by working together.
10 If one falls down,
the other can help him up.
But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls,
because no one is there to help.
11 If two lie down together, they will be warm,
but a person alone will not be warm.
12 An enemy might defeat one person,
but two people together can defend themselves;
a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break.
Fame and Power Are Useless
13 A poor but wise boy is better than a foolish but old king who doesn’t listen to advice. 14 A boy became king. He had been born poor in the kingdom and had even gone to prison before becoming king. 15 I watched all the people who live on earth follow him and make him their king. 16 Many followed him at first, but later, they did not like him, either. So fame and power are useless, like chasing the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4
New King James Version
The Uselessness of Selfish Toil
4 Then I returned and considered all the (A)oppression that is done under the sun:
And look! The tears of the oppressed,
But they have no comforter—
[a]On the side of their oppressors there is power,
But they have no comforter.
2 (B)Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead,
More than the living who are still alive.
3 (C)Yet, better than both is he who has never existed,
Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
The Vanity of Selfish Toil
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 (D)The fool folds his hands
And consumes his own flesh.
6 (E)Better a handful with quietness
Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without [b]companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his (F)eye satisfied with riches.
But (G)he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of (H)good?”
This also is vanity and a [c]grave misfortune.
The Value of a Friend
9 Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Popularity Passes Away
13 Better a poor and wise youth
Than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king,
Although [d]he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun;
They were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people [e]over whom he was made king;
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 4:1 Lit. At the hand
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. a second
- Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. evil task
- Ecclesiastes 4:14 The youth
- Ecclesiastes 4:16 Lit. to all before whom he was to be
Ecclesiastes 4
King James Version
4 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Hiligaynon Bible (Ang Pulong Sang Dios) Copyright © 1996, 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.