Nyagblɔla 4
1 Emegbe la, melé ŋku ɖe ameteteɖeanyi siwo katã le xexea me la ŋu. Mekpɔ ame siwo wote ɖe anyi la ƒe aɖatsiwo; kpeɖeŋutɔ aɖeke meli na wo o, le esime kpeɖeŋutɔ siwo nye ŋusẽtɔwo la le ameteɖeanyilawo ƒe akpa dzi.
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
2 Ale mebu be ame kukuwo tɔ nyo sãa wu agbagbeawo tɔ
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 eye ame siwo nye dzɔgbenyuitɔwo wu la, woawoe nye ame siwo womedzi o eye womekpɔ vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi kple nu vɔ̃ siwo xɔ xexea me katã la kpɔ o.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Megadze sii hã be nu si dɔa amewo ɖa be woaku kutri awɔ dɔ hena dzidzedzekpɔkpɔ la tso ŋubiabiã ɖe amehavi ŋu gbɔ. Ke esia hã nye bometsitsi kple dagbadagba ɖe yame ko.
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5 Bometsila bla asi ɖe akɔnu eye wògblẽ eɖokui dome.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Nu asiʋlo ɖeka si ŋuti ŋutifafa le la nyo wu nu asiʋlo eve si ŋuti sreɖidzedze kple dagbadagba ɖe yame kpe ɖo.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Megalé ŋku ɖe movidzɔdzɔ tɔgbi aɖe si le xexea me godoo la hã ŋu.
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 Nu sia ku ɖe ŋutsu aɖe si si viŋutsu alo vinyɔnu aɖeke mele o la ŋu, ke ŋutsu sia wɔa dɔ sesĩe matsomatsoe, eye wòƒoa kesinɔnuwo nu ƒu. Ame kae wòagblẽ nu siawo katã ɖi na? Nu ka ta wòle nu gbem le eɖokui gbɔ nenema? Viɖe aɖeke kura mele eme o.
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
9 Ame eve ate ŋu awɔ dɔ wu ame ɖeka ƒe dɔwɔwɔ ƒe teƒe eve elabena woƒe nukpɔkpɔ anyo sãa wu.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 Ne ɖeka dze anyi la, evelia afɔe, ke ne amea nye ɖeka eye wòdze anyi la, egena ɖe fukpekpe me.
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, ame eve siwo tsyɔ kundru ɖeka le vuvɔŋɔli le zã me la kpɔa dzoxɔxɔ tso wo nɔewo gbɔ, ke aleke ame ɖeka ate ŋu ade dzo lãme na eɖokui?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 Gawu la, woate ŋu aɖu ame ɖeka dzi bɔbɔe gake ame eve ate ŋu anɔ akpa ɖeka eye woaɖu dzi. Nu si ganyo wu esiae nye, ame etɔ̃ nanɔ akpa ɖeka elabena ka si wotsɔ ka sue etɔ̃ lɔ̃e la menya lãna bɔbɔe o.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Enyo be ame nanye ɖekakpui nyanu si da ahe wu be wòanye fia tsitsi aɖe si nye bometsila, eye wògbea aɖaŋu ɖe sia ɖe xɔxɔ.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 Ɖekakpui ma tɔgbi ate ŋu ado go le gaxɔ me eye xexea me adze edzi nɛ. Ate ŋu aɖu fia gɔ̃ hã togbɔ be wodzii ɖe ahedada me hã.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 Ame sia ame tsia dzi be yeakpe ɖe ɖekakpui ma tɔgbi ŋu, woadi be yewoakpe ɖe eŋu wòaxɔ fiazikpui la sesẽtɔe gɔ̃ hã.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 Ate ŋu azu kplɔla na ame akpe akpewo eye ame sia ame alɔ̃e. Ke ne dzidzime yeye la me viwo va tsi la, woɖenɛ le fiazikpui la dzi! Ale esia hã ganye bometsitsi kple dagbadagba ɖe yame ko.
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
