< Nyagblɔla 3 >
1 Ɣeyiɣi li na nu sia nu, eye azã li na tameɖoɖowo katã le dziƒoa te.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 Amedziɣi li, eye kuɣi li. Nudoɣi li, eye nuxaɣi li.
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 Amewuɣi li, eye gbedaɣi li. Nugblẽɣi li, eye nudzraɖoɣi li.
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 Avifaɣi li, eye nukoɣi li. Konyifaɣi li, eye ɣeɖuɣi li.
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 Kpekakaɣi li, eye kpeƒoƒuɣi li. Asikplakɔɣi li, eye asiɖelekɔɣi li.
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 Nudiɣi li, eye nubuɣi li. Nudzraɖoɣi li, eye nuƒugbeɣi li.
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 Nuvuɣi li, eye nutɔɣi li. Ɖoɖoeziɣi li, eye nuƒoɣi li.
a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 Lɔlɔ̃ɣi li, eye fuléɣi li. Aʋawɔɣi li, eye ŋutifafawɔɣi li.
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 Nu ka tututu amegbetɔ kpɔna tso dɔ sesẽ wɔwɔ me?
What profit has he who works in that in which he labours?
10 Mebu ta me tso nu sia ŋu tso dɔ vovovo siwo Mawu tsɔ na amegbetɔ la ŋu.
I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11 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,
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 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;
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13 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.
Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, is the gift of God.
14 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.
I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15 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.
That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
16 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.
Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 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.”
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 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.
I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
19 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!
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
20 Wo katã yia teƒe ɖeka ma, si nye anyi si me wotso kple esi ke woagatrɔ azu,
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 elabena ame ka ate ŋu aɖee fia bena, amegbetɔ ƒe gbɔgbɔ ɖoa ta dzi, ke lãwo tɔ ya ɖoa ta anyi, gena ɖe tome?”
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
22 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.
Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?