Nyagblɔla 11
1 Na nu amewo faa elabena wò nunana atrɔ ava wò ŋutɔ gbɔwò gbe aɖe gbe emegbe.
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
2 Ma wò nunanawo ɖe akpa adre alo akpa enyi me elabena ɖewohĩ wò ŋutɔ ahiã kpekpeɖeŋu geɖe le ŋkeke siwo ava la me.
Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.
3 Ne tsi sɔ gbɔ ɖe lilikpowo me la, tsi dzana. Ne ati aɖe mu eye wòdze dziehe alo anyiehe gome la, etsia afi si wòdze.
If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Ame si léa ŋku ɖe ya ƒe ƒoƒo ŋu la, meƒãa nu o eye ame si léa ŋku ɖe lilikpowo ŋu la, meŋea nu o.
He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.
5 Mawu ƒe mɔwo le manyamanya me na mí abe ale si míenya ya ƒe toƒe o kple ale si ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ gena ɖe vidzĩ ƒe lãme le esime vidzĩ la le dadaa ƒe dɔme la o ene.
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
6 Nɔ wò nukuwo ƒaƒã dzi ko, elabena màte ŋu anya esiwo agbe miemie o; ɖewohĩ wo katã amie.
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
7 Enye nu nyui wɔnuku aɖe be ame nanɔ agbe!
Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 Ele be ame si tsi, xɔ ƒe geɖe la, nakpɔ dzidzɔ gbe sia gbe le eƒe agbe me, ke wòaɖo ŋku viviti ƒe ŋkekewo dzi, elabena woasɔ gbɔ, eye nu siwo le agbe sia me la nye tofloko sɔŋ ko, ne wotsɔ wo sɔ ɖe agbe kemɛ tɔwo ŋu.
So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.
9 Ɖekakpui, kpɔ dzidzɔ le wò ɖekakpuime, eye nàna wò dzi naɖu agbe le wò ɖekakpuime. Zɔ ɖe wò dzi ƒe didi kple wò ŋku ƒe nukpɔkpɔ nu, ke nyae be Mawu adrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wò le nu siawo katã ta,
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
10 eya ta ɖe nuxaxa ɖa le wò dzime, eye nàte nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò ŋutilã gbɔ, elabena ɖekapuimenɔnɔ kple ŋutsumeɖoɖo hã nye tofloko ko.
So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.
