Ecclesiastes 3
1 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Ɣeyiɣi li na nu sia nu, eye azã li na tameɖoɖowo katã le dziƒoa te.
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
Amedziɣi li, eye kuɣi li. Nudoɣi li, eye nuxaɣi li.
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,
Amewuɣi li, eye gbedaɣi li. Nugblẽɣi li, eye nudzraɖoɣi li.
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Avifaɣi li, eye nukoɣi li. Konyifaɣi li, eye ɣeɖuɣi li.
5 a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
Kpekakaɣi li, eye kpeƒoƒuɣi li. Asikplakɔɣi li, eye asiɖelekɔɣi li.
6 a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard,
Nudiɣi li, eye nubuɣi li. Nudzraɖoɣi li, eye nuƒugbeɣi li.
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
Nuvuɣi li, eye nutɔɣi li. Ɖoɖoeziɣi li, eye nuƒoɣi li.
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
Lɔlɔ̃ɣi li, eye fuléɣi li. Aʋawɔɣi li, eye ŋutifafawɔɣi li.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil?
Nu ka tututu amegbetɔ kpɔna tso dɔ sesẽ wɔwɔ me?
10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.
Mebu ta me tso nu sia ŋu tso dɔ vovovo siwo Mawu tsɔ na amegbetɔ la ŋu.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.
Nu sia nu sɔ ɖe eya ŋutɔ ƒe ɣeyiɣi dzi. Ke, togbɔ be Mawu de mavɔmavɔnyenye ta me na amegbetɔ hã la, amegbetɔ mate ŋu akpɔ Mawu ƒe dɔ blibo la tso gɔmedzedzea va se ɖe nuwuwu o,
12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,
eya ta metso nya la me be gbã la, nu si ƒo nuwo katã tae nye be amegbetɔ nakpɔ dzidzɔ, eye wòaɖu agbe ŋkeke ale si wòate ŋui;
13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.
evelia la, ele be wòaɖu nu, ano nu eye wòaɖu agbe kple nu siwo do tso eƒe dagbadagbawo me elabena esiawoe nye nunana tso Mawu gbɔ.
14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.
Eye menya esia be nu sia nu si Mawu wɔ la, tɔtrɔ aɖeke meganɔa eŋu o, womate ŋu atsɔ naneke akpee o eye womate ŋu aɖe naneke le eme hã o. Mawu ƒe taɖodzinu le nya sia mee nye be ele be amegbetɔ navɔ̃ Mawu, Ŋusẽkatãtɔ la.
15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.
Nu sia nu si li fifia la, nɔ anyi tso keke gbe aɖe gbe ke eye nu sia nu si ava dzɔ la, dzɔ kpɔ va yi xoxo. Mawu gatrɔa nu si dzɔ kpɔ xoxo la vanɛ.
16 Furthermore, I saw under the sun that in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.
Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, mede dzesii be, le anyigba blibo la dzi la, dzɔdzɔenyenye le bubum, nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ le dzɔdzɔenyenyeteƒe xɔm eye zãnuxɔxɔ le ʋɔnudrɔ̃ƒewo gɔ̃ hã.
17 I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every deed.”
Megblɔ na ɖokuinye be, “Ne azã la su ko la, Mawu ahe nu sia nu si ame aɖe wɔna, nyui kple vɔ̃ siaa ayi ʋɔnue.”
18 I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.”
Le esia megbe la, medze sii be, “Mawu le mɔ ɖem be xexea me nalé eƒe nu vɔ̃ mɔ atsɔ, ale be yeate ŋu ado amegbetɔƒomea kpɔ, eye amegbetɔwo ŋutɔ nakpɔe be yewole abe gbemelãwo ene.
19 For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.
Elabena amegbetɔwo kple lãwo siaa gbɔa ya ɖeka ma ke eye wo ame eveawo siaa kuna. Ale amegbetɔwo tɔ menyo wu lãwo tɔ o. Esia hã nye tofloko!
20 All go to one place; all come from dust, and all return to dust.
Wo katã yia teƒe ɖeka ma, si nye anyi si me wotso kple esi ke woagatrɔ azu,
21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and the spirit of the animal descends into the earth?
elabena ame ka ate ŋu aɖee fia bena, amegbetɔ ƒe gbɔgbɔ ɖoa ta dzi, ke lãwo tɔ ya ɖoa ta anyi, gena ɖe tome?”
22 I have seen that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will come after him?
Eya ta mekpɔe be nu si nyo na amegbetɔ wu lae nye be wòakpɔ dzidzɔ le eƒe dɔwɔwɔ me. Elabena eya tae wòle afi sia ɖo, eye ame aɖeke magate ŋu agbugbɔe va agbe sia me, wòakpɔ dzidzɔ le nu siwo ava va la ŋu o. Eya ta ele be wòakpɔ dzidzɔ le wo ŋu fifia.
