Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one's birth.
Ŋkɔ nyui xɔ asi wu amiʋeʋĩ xɔasitɔ kekeake. Ame ƒe kugbe nyo wu eƒe dzigbe!
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
Kuteƒedede nyo wu aglotuƒedede elabena èle kuku ge eye enye nu nyui be nàbu ku ŋu le esime ɣeyiɣi gale ŋgɔwò.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.
Nuxaxa nyo wu nukoko elabena blanuiléle wɔa dɔ nyui ɖe mía dzi.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Ɛ̃, nunyala bua ku ŋu vevie ke bometsila bua agbeɖuɖu fifia ko ŋu.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ne nunyala ka mo na ame la, enyo wu bometsila nakafu ame
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
elabena bometsila ƒe amekafukafu nu yina kaba abe agbalẽ kakɛe ge ɖe dzo me ene eya ta enye numanyamanya be ame nana bometsitsi ma tɔgbi ƒe nya nawɔ dɔ ɖe edzi.
7 Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Zãnuxɔxɔ nana nunyala trɔna zua bometsila elabena zãnuxɔxɔ gblẽa eƒe nugɔmesese me.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Nuwuwu nyo wu gɔmedzedze! Dzigbɔɖi nyo wu ɖokuidodoɖedzi.
9 Do not be hasty in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Mègado dɔmedzoe kabakaba o, elabena dɔmedzoedodo kabakaba nana ame zua bometsila.
10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not ask wisely about this.
Mègatsi dzi ɖe “ŋkekenyui siwo va yi” la ŋu o elabena mènya ne wonyo wu egbeŋkeke siawo o!
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Nunya nye domenyinu xɔasi kple viɖe na ame siwo le agbe;
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
Àte ŋu atsɔ ga alo nunya akpɔ nu sia nu, gake nyui geɖe le nunyalanyenye me.
13 Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Kpɔ mɔ si dzi Mawu wɔa eƒe nuwo toe la ɖa eye nàzɔ mɔ ma dzi. Mègatsi tsitre ɖe dzɔdzɔme ƒe sewo ŋu o.
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yes, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
Kpɔ dzidzɔ le dzɔgbenyui ƒe ɣeyiɣiwo me, eye ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e tu wò la, dze sii be Mawue naa dzɔgbenyui kple dzɔgbevɔ̃e siaa, ale be ame sia ame nanya be kakaɖedzi mele naneke ŋu le agbe sia me o.
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.
Medze si nu sia nu le nye agbenɔnɔ ƒuƒlu sia me. Medze sii be ame nyui aɖewo kuna kaba ke ame vɔ̃ɖi aɖewo nɔa agbe didi
16 Do not be overly righteous, neither make yourself overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
eya ta mègawɔ nu dzɔdzɔe akpa o eye mèganya nu tso eme akpa o. Nu ka ta nàwu ɖokuiwò?
17 Do not be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
Ke mègavɔ̃ɖi akpa loo alo nàtsi bome akpa o! Nu ka ta nàku hafi wò azã nasu?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this. Yes, also from that do not withdraw your hand; for he who fears God will come forth from them all.
Lé fɔ ɖe dɔdeasi ɖe sia ɖe si le ŋuwò la ŋu, eye ne èvɔ̃a Mawu la, àte ŋu akpɔ mɔ na Mawu ƒe yayra.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
Ŋusẽ le nunyala ɖeka ŋu wu du gã ewo ƒe dziɖulawo!
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.
Ame aɖeke mele xexe blibo la me si nye ame nyui ale gbegbe be mewɔa nu vɔ̃ aɖeke kura o.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest you hear your servant curse you;
Mègade xa ɖi hena nyasese o, àva se wò dɔla wòanɔ fi ƒom de wò!
22 for often your own heart knows that you yourself have likewise cursed others.
Wò ŋutɔ ènya zi geɖe siwo nèƒoa fi dea amewoe!
23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
Medze agbagba ɖe sia ɖe be manya nu. Megblɔ be, “Mazu nunyala kokoko” Ke medze edzi nam nenema o.
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
Nunya le didiƒe ke eye esesẽ ŋutɔ be woake ɖe eŋu.
25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.
Medii le afi sia afi, meɖo ta me kplikpaa be nye asi nasu nunya kple ŋuɖoɖowo na nye biabiawo dzi, eye maɖee fia ɖokuinye be vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi nye lãdzɔdzɔ, eye bometsitsi nye tsukuku.
26 I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
Nyɔnu si nye gamɔ kple ɖɔ si ɖea ame la ƒe aɖi nu sẽna wu ku tɔ. Mawu naɖi be nàte ŋu asi le enu, ke nu vɔ̃ wɔla mesina le eƒe mɔtetrewo nu o.
27 Look, this have I found, says the Preacher, one to another, to find out the scheme;
Nyagblɔla gblɔ be, “Kpɔ ɖa, nu si ŋu meke ɖo lae nye, woatsɔ nu ɖeka akpe bubu be woanya ɖoɖo si le nuwo me.
28 which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Esi mele nuwo me kum, nyemeke ɖe naneke ŋu o la, mekpɔ ŋutsu si nye ame dzɔdzɔe ɖeka le ame akpe ɖeka dome, ke nyemekpɔ nyɔnu ɖeka si nye ame dzɔdzɔe la le wo katã dome o.
29 Look, this only have I found, that God made humankind upright, but they search for many schemes.
Mekpɔe hã be togbɔ be Mawu wɔ amegbetɔwo wonye ame dzɔdzɔewo hã la, wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe trɔ dze eya ŋutɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃ mɔ dzi.”
