Nyagblɔla 7
1 Ŋkɔ nyui xɔ asi wu amiʋeʋĩ xɔasitɔ kekeake. Ame ƒe kugbe nyo wu eƒe dzigbe!
A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 Kuteƒedede nyo wu aglotuƒedede elabena èle kuku ge eye enye nu nyui be nàbu ku ŋu le esime ɣeyiɣi gale ŋgɔwò.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
3 Nuxaxa nyo wu nukoko elabena blanuiléle wɔa dɔ nyui ɖe mía dzi.
Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
4 Ɛ̃, nunyala bua ku ŋu vevie ke bometsila bua agbeɖuɖu fifia ko ŋu.
The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
5 Ne nunyala ka mo na ame la, enyo wu bometsila nakafu ame
It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
6 elabena bometsila ƒe amekafukafu nu yina kaba abe agbalẽ kakɛe ge ɖe dzo me ene eya ta enye numanyamanya be ame nana bometsitsi ma tɔgbi ƒe nya nawɔ dɔ ɖe edzi.
For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
7 Zãnuxɔxɔ nana nunyala trɔna zua bometsila elabena zãnuxɔxɔ gblẽa eƒe nugɔmesese me.
Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
8 Nuwuwu nyo wu gɔmedzedze! Dzigbɔɖi nyo wu ɖokuidodoɖedzi.
Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
9 Mègado dɔmedzoe kabakaba o, elabena dɔmedzoedodo kabakaba nana ame zua bometsila.
Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
10 Mègatsi dzi ɖe “ŋkekenyui siwo va yi” la ŋu o elabena mènya ne wonyo wu egbeŋkeke siawo o!
Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
11 Nunya nye domenyinu xɔasi kple viɖe na ame siwo le agbe;
Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
12 Àte ŋu atsɔ ga alo nunya akpɔ nu sia nu, gake nyui geɖe le nunyalanyenye me.
For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
13 Kpɔ mɔ si dzi Mawu wɔa eƒe nuwo toe la ɖa eye nàzɔ mɔ ma dzi. Mègatsi tsitre ɖe dzɔdzɔme ƒe sewo ŋu o.
Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
14 Kpɔ dzidzɔ le dzɔgbenyui ƒe ɣeyiɣiwo me, eye ne dzɔgbevɔ̃e tu wò la, dze sii be Mawue naa dzɔgbenyui kple dzɔgbevɔ̃e siaa, ale be ame sia ame nanya be kakaɖedzi mele naneke ŋu le agbe sia me o.
In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
15 Medze si nu sia nu le nye agbenɔnɔ ƒuƒlu sia me. Medze sii be ame nyui aɖewo kuna kaba ke ame vɔ̃ɖi aɖewo nɔa agbe didi
These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
16 eya ta mègawɔ nu dzɔdzɔe akpa o eye mèganya nu tso eme akpa o. Nu ka ta nàwu ɖokuiwò?
Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
17 Ke mègavɔ̃ɖi akpa loo alo nàtsi bome akpa o! Nu ka ta nàku hafi wò azã nasu?
Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
18 Lé fɔ ɖe dɔdeasi ɖe sia ɖe si le ŋuwò la ŋu, eye ne èvɔ̃a Mawu la, àte ŋu akpɔ mɔ na Mawu ƒe yayra.
It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
19 Ŋusẽ le nunyala ɖeka ŋu wu du gã ewo ƒe dziɖulawo!
Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
20 Ame aɖeke mele xexe blibo la me si nye ame nyui ale gbegbe be mewɔa nu vɔ̃ aɖeke kura o.
For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
21 Mègade xa ɖi hena nyasese o, àva se wò dɔla wòanɔ fi ƒom de wò!
But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
22 Wò ŋutɔ ènya zi geɖe siwo nèƒoa fi dea amewoe!
For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
23 Medze agbagba ɖe sia ɖe be manya nu. Megblɔ be, “Mazu nunyala kokoko” Ke medze edzi nam nenema o.
I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
24 Nunya le didiƒe ke eye esesẽ ŋutɔ be woake ɖe eŋu.
Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Medii le afi sia afi, meɖo ta me kplikpaa be nye asi nasu nunya kple ŋuɖoɖowo na nye biabiawo dzi, eye maɖee fia ɖokuinye be vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi nye lãdzɔdzɔ, eye bometsitsi nye tsukuku.
I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
26 Nyɔnu si nye gamɔ kple ɖɔ si ɖea ame la ƒe aɖi nu sẽna wu ku tɔ. Mawu naɖi be nàte ŋu asi le enu, ke nu vɔ̃ wɔla mesina le eƒe mɔtetrewo nu o.
And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
27 Nyagblɔla gblɔ be, “Kpɔ ɖa, nu si ŋu meke ɖo lae nye, woatsɔ nu ɖeka akpe bubu be woanya ɖoɖo si le nuwo me.
Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
28 Esi mele nuwo me kum, nyemeke ɖe naneke ŋu o la, mekpɔ ŋutsu si nye ame dzɔdzɔe ɖeka le ame akpe ɖeka dome, ke nyemekpɔ nyɔnu ɖeka si nye ame dzɔdzɔe la le wo katã dome o.
Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
29 Mekpɔe hã be togbɔ be Mawu wɔ amegbetɔwo wonye ame dzɔdzɔewo hã la, wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe trɔ dze eya ŋutɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃ mɔ dzi.”
Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
