Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember your Creator while you are young, before days of trouble come and you grow old, saying, “I'm not enjoying life anymore.”
Ɖo ŋku wò Wɔla dzi le wò ɖekakpuiŋkekewo me, hafi ŋkeke vɔ̃wo nava eye ƒe siwo me màgakpɔ dzidzɔ le agbeɖuɖu ŋu le o la nagogo.
2 Before the light fades—sun, moon, and stars—and rain clouds return to darken the skies.
Ɖo ŋku wò Wɔla dzi hafi ɣe, kekeli, ɣleti kple ɣletiviwo nado viviti, eye lilikpowo natrɔ agbɔ le tsidzadza megbe,
3 Before the guards of the house tremble and the strong men are bent over, the grinders stop working because there are only a few left, and the ones looking through the windows only see dimly,
elabena ɣeyiɣi aɖe gbɔna esime tsitsi ana wò afɔwo kple abɔwo nadzo nyanyanya, wò ata sesẽwo nagbɔdzɔ, wò aɖuwo dometɔ geɖewo natu eye wò ŋkuwo hã natsi
4 and the doors to the street are shut. Before the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and you wake up early when the birds are singing, but you can hardly hear them.
ekema nàna wò nuyiwo namia tititi ne èle nu ɖum esi wò aɖuwo tu vɔ la ta! Àfɔ le fɔŋli, ne xeviwo de asi hadzidzi me, ke màgase nu o eye wò gbe anɔ ƒoƒom, màgate ŋu adzi ha o.
5 Before you develop a fear of heights and worry about going out on the streets; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper crawls along, and desire fails, for everyone has to go to their eternal home as the mourners go up and down the street.
Àvɔ̃ na dzidede kple gege, eye nàzu amegãɖeɖi si anɔ zɔzɔm ɖɔɖɔɖɔ, ame si nyɔnugbɔdɔdɔ magadzro o, ame si atsi tsitre ɖe ku ƒe agbo nu, eye wòagogo eƒe aƒe mavɔ esime konyifalawo nɔa ablɔ dzi zɔm.
6 Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken; before the water jug is smashed at the spring, or the pulley is broken at the well.
Ɛ̃, ɖo ŋku wò Wɔla dzi le wò ɖekakpuiŋkekewo me, hafi agbe ƒe klosaloka natso, sikagba nagbã, tɔmedeze nagbã le tsi dzidzi to, tsidumɔ ƒe troƒe nafli ɖa,
7 Then the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
nàgatrɔ azu anyi si nènye tsã eye gbɔgbɔ la natrɔ ayi Mawu, ame si tsɔe na wò la gbɔ.
8 “Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
Nyagblɔla be nuwo katã nye tofloko ko.
9 Not only was the Teacher a wise man, he also taught what he knew to others. He thought about many proverbs, studying them and arranging them.
Ke esi Nyagblɔla nye nunyala ta la, eyi nu siwo katã wònya la fiafia amewo dzi. Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, eƒo ƒu lododowo, eye wòma wo ɖe tanya vovovowo te,
10 The Teacher looked for the best way to explain things, writing truthfully and honestly.
elabena Nyagblɔla menye nunyala ɖeɖe ko o, ke boŋ enye nufiala nyui aɖe hã. Menye ɖe wòfia nu si wònya la ko wo o, ke boŋ efianɛ to mɔ si do dzidzɔ na wo la dzi.
11 The words of the wise are like cattle prods. Their collected sayings are like nails driven home, given by one shepherd.
Nunyala ƒe nyawo le abe nutɔame siwo tɔa ame, dea lãme na ame hena nuwɔwɔ eye woƒoa nyateƒe veviwo ɖe to la ene. Sukuvi siwo sea nu siwo woƒe nufialawo gblɔna na wo la, zua nunyalawo.
12 In addition, my student, take care, for there's no end to book writing, and too much study wears you out.
Ke vinye, na woaxlɔ̃ nu wò. Seɖoƒe aɖeke meli na agbalẽ geɖe ŋɔŋlɔ o eye nusɔsrɔ̃ tea ɖeɖi ame ƒe ŋutilã ŋu.
13 To sum up now that everything has been discussed: Respect God by keeping his commandments, for that's what everyone should do.
Nya blibo la ƒe taƒonyae nye: Vɔ̃ Mawu, eye nàwɔ eƒe sewo dzi, elabena esia koe nye amegbetɔwo ƒe dɔdeasiwo katã ƒe ƒuƒoƒo
14 God is going to judge us for everything we do, including what we do secretly, whether good or bad.
elabena Mawu adrɔ̃ ʋɔnu mí le nu siwo katã míewɔ le adzame kple gaglãgbe siaa, eɖanye nyui alo vɔ̃.
