Ecclesiastes 3
1 For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed time to every thing 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 pluck up what is planted.
Amedziɣi li, eye kuɣi li. Nudoɣi li, eye nuxaɣi li.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to breaking down, and a time to build up.
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 stones asunder, 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 seek, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
Nudiɣi li, eye nubuɣi li. Nudzraɖoɣi li, eye nuƒugbeɣi li.
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, 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 of war, and a time of peace.—
Lɔlɔ̃ɣi li, eye fuléɣi li. Aʋawɔɣi li, eye ŋutifafawɔɣi li.
9 What profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?
Nu ka tututu amegbetɔ kpɔna tso dɔ sesẽ wɔwɔ me?
10 I have seen the business which God hath given to the sons of men to exercise themselves therewith.
Mebu ta me tso nu sia ŋu tso dɔ vovovo siwo Mawu tsɔ na amegbetɔ la ŋu.
11 God maketh every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the work which God doeth, from the beginning to the 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 a man than that he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long.
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 But when a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through 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 whatever God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that men may fear before 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 That which is, was long ago; and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.
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 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity.
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 Then said I in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked.” For there shall be a time for every matter and for every work.
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 in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God will prove them, in order that they may see that they are like the 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 that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts: one lot befalleth both. As the one dieth, so dieth the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is vanity.
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 are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Wo katã yia teƒe ɖeka ma, si nye anyi si me wotso kple esi ke woagatrɔ azu,
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether it goeth downward to 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 And so I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his labors; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him to see what shall be 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.
