Nyagblɔla 6
1 Ke meganya nu tso nya sesẽ aɖe ŋu le afi sia afi.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is great on men:
2 Nya siae nye Mawu tsɔ kesinɔnu geɖe kple bubu na ame aɖewo, ale be woate ŋu akpɔ nu sia nu si wodi la, ke mena lãmesesẽ wo be woaɖu agbe kple nu siawo o. Wokuna, eye ame bubuwo sãa xɔa kesinɔnu siawo katã! Nu sia nye nu masɔmasɔ, tofloko kple vodada gã aɖe.
[There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Ne viŋutsu alafa ɖeka kple vinyɔnu alafa ɖeka anɔ ame aɖe si, eye wòatsi axɔ ƒe geɖe, gake ga si wòagblẽ ɖi hafi aku la le sue ale gbegbe be viawo mate ŋu aɖii, ade bubu eŋu o la, mele egblɔm be anyo nɛ wu ne eku le eƒe dzigbe,
If a man were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 elabena togbɔ be eƒe dzidzi anye tofloko le ɣe ma ɣi, eye wòawu enu le viviti me, eye womatsɔ ŋkɔ nɛ gɔ̃ hã o,
For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
5 makpɔ ɣe kpɔ o, eye manya be ɣe li gɔ̃ hã o la, anyo nɛ alea sãa wu be wòava zu amegãɖeɖi si makpɔ dzidzɔ aɖeke o.
Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.
6 Ne ame aɖe anɔ agbe ƒe akpe ɖeka zi eve gake makpɔ dzidzeme aɖeke o la, ekema viɖe kae le eƒe agbenɔnɔ ŋu?
Yea, though he were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?
7 Ame ƒe sreɖidzedzewo katã ku ɖe eƒe nuɖuɖu ko ŋu, ke meɖia ƒo ɣe aɖeke ɣi o.
All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.
8 Nu kae nunyala tsɔ nyo wu bometsila? Viɖe kae ame dahe kpɔna ne enya ale si wòalé eɖokui le amewo ŋkume?
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?
9 Nukpɔkpɔ kple ŋku nyo wu nudzroame ƒe tsaglalãtsatsa le susu me. Drɔ̃ekuku dzodzro le nu nyuiwo ŋu nye bometsitsi eye wòganye dagbadagba ɖe yame ko.
Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
10 Dzɔgbesee ɖoa nu sia nu dana ɖi; woɖo nu sia nu si ame ava zu la da ɖi xoxo eya ta viɖe aɖeke mele nyahehe kple Mawu tso ale si wòwɔ wo la ŋu o.
That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Ne wò nyawo sɔ gbɔ la, gɔmesese geɖe manɔ wo ŋu o, ekema nu ka ta nàɖe fu na ɖokuiwò be yeaƒo nu kura?
For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
12 Le míaƒe agbemeŋkeke ʋɛ siawo me la, ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ ale si ame nawɔ eƒe ŋkekewo ŋu dɔ nyuie? Ame ka ate ŋu anya nu si ava nye nyuitɔ le ŋgɔgbea ne amea nu va yi? Elabena ame kae nya etsɔ me?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
