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 ointment; 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 go to the house of feasting: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
3 Nuxaxa nyo wu nukoko elabena blanuiléle wɔa dɔ nyui ɖe mía dzi.
Sorrow [is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Ɛ̃, nunyala bua ku ŋu vevie ke bometsila bua agbeɖuɖu fifia ko ŋu.
The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.
5 Ne nunyala ka mo na ame la, enyo wu bometsila nakafu ame
[It is] better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song 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 under a pot, so [is] the laughter of the fool: this also [is] vanity.
7 Zãnuxɔxɔ nana nunyala trɔna zua bometsila elabena zãnuxɔxɔ gblẽa eƒe nugɔmesese me.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Nuwuwu nyo wu gɔmedzedze! Dzigbɔɖi nyo wu ɖokuidodoɖedzi.
Better [is] the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in spirit.
9 Mègado dɔmedzoe kabakaba o, elabena dɔmedzoedodo kabakaba nana ame zua bometsila.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Mègatsi dzi ɖe “ŋkekenyui siwo va yi” la ŋu o elabena mènya ne wonyo wu egbeŋkeke siawo o!
Say not thou, What is [the cause] that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 Nunya nye domenyinu xɔasi kple viɖe na ame siwo le agbe;
Wisdom [is] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit to them that see the sun.
12 Àte ŋu atsɔ ga alo nunya akpɔ nu sia nu, gake nyui geɖe le nunyalanyenye me.
For wisdom [is] a defence, [and] money [is] a defence: but the excellency of knowledge [is, that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
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 work of God: for who can make [that] straight, which he hath made crooked?
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 day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
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
All [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] 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 righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Ke mègavɔ̃ɖi akpa loo alo nàtsi bome akpa o! Nu ka ta nàku hafi wò azã nasu?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Ŋusẽ le nunyala ɖeka ŋu wu du gã ewo ƒe dziɖulawo!
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] which are in 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] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Mègade xa ɖi hena nyasese o, àva se wò dɔla wòanɔ fi ƒom de wò!
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 Wò ŋutɔ ènya zi geɖe siwo nèƒoa fi dea amewoe!
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Medze agbagba ɖe sia ɖe be manya nu. Megblɔ be, “Mazu nunyala kokoko” Ke medze edzi nam nenema o.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
24 Nunya le didiƒe ke eye esesẽ ŋutɔ be woake ɖe eŋu.
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can 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 applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:
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 find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken 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.
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to 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, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I 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.”
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
