Testing Enjoyment
Di Teacher try everything wey money fit build, houses, vineyards, gardens, singers, treasure, and e find say both enjoyment and achievement empty, because wise people dey die like fools and person wey go inherit fit waste everything. Wetin remain na to chop, drink, and work, wey God give from im hand.
2 1For my heart I talk say, “Make you come, I go test you with enjoyment; enjoy wetin good.” But dis one too na waya wey no dey last. 2I talk about laughter say, “Na madness,” and about enjoyment say, “Wetin e dey do?”
3I search inside my heart how I go take make my body happy with wine—my heart still dey guide me with wisdom—and how I go take grab foolishness, until I go fit see wetin good make people do under heaven for di small days of dem life. 4I do big-big work. I build houses for myself and plant vineyards. 5I make gardens and parks for myself, and plant all kind fruit tree inside dem. 6I make pools of water for myself to water one forest of trees wey dey grow. 7I buy man and woman slaves, and I get slaves wey born for my house too. I get plenty cattle and sheep pass anybody wey dey Jerusalem before me. 8I gather silver and gold for myself, di treasure of kings and provinces. I get man and woman singers, and di things wey dey sweet man belle—plenty concubines. 9So I come big, big pass everybody wey dey Jerusalem before me; and my wisdom still dey with me. 10Wetin my eyes want, I no keep am back. I no refuse my heart any joy, because my heart dey enjoy all my work, and dis na my reward for all my work. 11Den I look all wetin my hands don do and di hard work wey I put inside am, and na all na waya wey no dey last, na wind I dey chase; nothing dey wey I gain under di sun.
Wisdom Pass Foolishness
12So I turn to consider wisdom, madness, and foolishness. Because wetin di king successor fit do? Na only wetin dem don already do. 13I see say wisdom get gain pass foolishness, just as light get gain pass darkness. 14Di wise person get eyes for im head, but di fool dey waka for darkness. But still, I come sabi say di same end dey wait for all of dem. a a v14 “Get eyes for im head” na Hebrew expression: di wise person dey see clear-clear. 15Den I think am say, “Di fool end na my own end too. So why I take dey so wise reach?” And I decide say dis one too na waya wey no dey last. 16Dem no go remember di wise person, just like di fool, for long time; for di days wey dey come, dem go forget di two of dem. See as di wise dey die just like di fool! 17So I hate life, because di work wey dem dey do under di sun dey pain me; na all na waya wey no dey last, na wind I dey chase.
Di Hard Work Wey You Go Leave for Stranger
18I hate all my labour under di sun, because I must leave am for di person wey go come after me. 19Who sabi whether e go wise or e go be fool? But e go control all wetin I work for with my wisdom under di sun. Dis one too na waya wey no dey last.
20So I give my heart give hopelessness over all di hard work wey I labour for under di sun. 21Person fit work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, but e must leave am all make another person wey no work for am come enjoy am. Dis one too na waya wey no dey last, na big bad thing. 22Wetin person dey gain from all di hard work and di way im heart dey struggle wey e dey labour for under di sun? 23All im days dey bring sorrow, im work dey bring grief; even for night im mind no dey rest. Dis one too na waya wey no dey last. 24Nothing better pass make person chop, drink, and enjoy im work. Dis one too, I see am, na from God hand e come, 25because if e no be for am, who fit chop or who fit find enjoyment? 26God dey give wisdom, knowledge, and joy to di person wey dey please am, but to di person wey dey sin, e dey give am di work of gathering and packing, na only to hand am over to di person wey dey please God. Dis one too na waya wey no dey last, na wind e dey chase.
