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 heavy 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.
a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats 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 fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child 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 it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
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 has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather 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?
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?
7 Ame ƒe sreɖidzedzewo katã ku ɖe eƒe nuɖuɖu ko ŋu, ke meɖia ƒo ɣe aɖeke ɣi o.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not 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 advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk 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 the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
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.
Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who 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 words that create vanity. What does that profit 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 knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
