Di Teacher Talk
Ecclesiastes dey find meaning “under the sun,” and from that ground-level view, the Teacher see God as person wey far and wey nobody fit understand—e just call am God, e rarely call am Papa. But His fingerprint dey everywhere: every good gift for ordinary life na from His hand e come.
1 1Di words of di Teacher, David im pikin, king for Jerusalem. a a v1 Ecclesiastes na di testament of Qoheleth — 'di Preacher' abi 'di One wey dey gada people togeda.' For di whole book Qoheleth dey talk about God for di way wey dey put am far-far, e never once reach for di relational name 'Papa.' Di book keep di true-true tiredness of life wey person dey live 'under di sun' — witout our Papa im nearness wey E don show. Jesus come make Papa dey near (John 14:9). 2"E no dey last at all," na so di Teacher talk, "e no dey last at all! Everytin no dey last."
3Wetin person dey gain from all di work wey e dey suffer for under di sun? 4One generation dey go, and anoda generation dey come, but di earth dey stand forever. 5Di sun dey rise and di sun dey set, and e dey hurry go back go di place wey e dey rise. 6Di wind dey blow go south and e dey turn go north; e dey go round and round, e dey always dey return for im circle. 7All di river dem dey run enter di sea, but di sea no dey ever full; di river dem dey return go di place wey dem comot, and dem dey flow again. 8Everytin dey tire person, pass wetin anybody fit talk; di eye no dey satisfy with wetin e dey see, and di ear no dey full with wetin e dey hear. 9Wetin don happen na wetin go happen, and wetin dem don do na wetin dem go do; notin new dey under di sun. 10Anytin dey wey person fit point am and talk say, "Look, dis one na new tin"? E don dey here before, for di times wey pass before us. 11Nobody dey remember di people wey come before, and even di people wey never come sef, di ones wey go follow dem no go remember dem.
Solomon Im Search
12Me, di Teacher, I bin be king over Israel for Jerusalem. 13I give my heart to look and search with wisdom all di tins wey dem dey do under heaven—na wahala work wey God don give mankind make dem dey struggle with am. 14I see all di tins wey dem dey do under di sun, and look—all of am no dey last, na to dey run afta wind. 15Wetin bend no fit make am straight, and wetin no dey ground no fit count am. 16I talk give myself say, "Look, I don grow big and I get plenty wisdom pass everybody wey rule Jerusalem before me; my heart don see plenty wisdom and knowledge." 17I put my mind to know wisdom, and madness and foolishness; I learn say dis one sef na to dey run afta di wind. 18Bicos where plenty wisdom dey, plenty grief dey come, and di more knowledge person get, na di more sorrow.
