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.
Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
2 Ale mebu be ame kukuwo tɔ nyo sãa wu agbagbeawo tɔ
So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
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.
and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was 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.
Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
5 Bometsila bla asi ɖe akɔnu eye wògblẽ eɖokui dome.
The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth 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 a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.
7 Megalé ŋku ɖe movidzɔdzɔ tɔgbi aɖe si le xexea me godoo la hã ŋu.
Then again, I, looked at a vain thing 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.
Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
9 Ame eve ate ŋu awɔ dɔ wu ame ɖeka ƒe dɔwɔwɔ ƒe teƒe eve elabena woƒe nukpɔkpɔ anyo sãa wu.
Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
10 Ne ɖeka dze anyi la, evelia afɔe, ke ne amea nye ɖeka eye wòdze anyi la, egena ɖe fukpekpe me.
For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise 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?
Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
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 an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be 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 a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
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, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
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 all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —
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 was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
