Nyagblɔla 8
1 Ame kae le abe nunyala ene? Ame ka ate ŋu aɖe nuwo gɔme? Nunya nana ame ƒe mo klẽna eye wòtrɔa eƒe dzedzeme kplala la.
Who [is] as the wise [man]? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
2 Mebe nàɖo to fia la, elabena èka atam aɖe le Mawu ŋkume
I [counsel thee] to keep the king's commandment, and [that] in regard of the oath of God.
3 Mèganɔ kplakplakpla dzi be yeadzo le fia la ŋkume o. Mègade nya madzɔmadzɔ dzi o, elabena awɔ nu sia nu si adze eŋu.
Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatever pleaseth him.
4 Ŋusẽ gã aɖe da megbe na fia ƒe sededewo, eye ame aɖeke mate ŋu atsi tsitre ɖe eŋu alo aɖe ɖeklemi le eŋu o.
Where the word of a king [is], [there is] power: and who may say to him, what doest thou?
5 Womehea to na ame siwo wɔa eƒe sewo dzi la o. Nunyalawo adi ɣeyiɣi kple mɔnukpɔkpɔ awɔ fia ƒe sewo dzi.
He who keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.
6 Togbɔ be ame ƒe nukpekeamewo ate ɖe edzi vevie hã la, ɣeyiɣi kple mɔnu nyuitɔ li na nudzɔɖeamedzi.
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him.
7 Esi ame aɖeke menya etsɔ me o ta la, ame ka ate ŋu agblɔ nya si ava dzɔ la nɛ?
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
8 Ame aɖeke mate ŋu asi le ku nu o eye ŋusẽ mele ame aɖeke ŋu be wòaxe mɔ na eƒe kugbe ƒe ɖoɖo o, elabena ame aɖeke meli si ŋgɔ ku mele o. Eme kɔ ƒãa be amegbetɔ ƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi mate ŋu akpe ɖe eŋu le ɣeyiɣi ma me o.
[There is] no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither [hath he] power in the day of death: and [there is] no discharge in [that] war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
9 Mekpɔ nu siawo katã esi mebu nu sia nu si wowɔna le ɣea te la ŋu. Ɣe aɖe ɣi li esi ame aɖu amegã ɖe ame bubuwo dzi, eye wòtoa esia me wɔa nuvevi eɖokui.
All this have I seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time in which one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10 Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, mekpɔ woɖi ame vɔ̃ɖiwo, ame siwo vaa teƒe kɔkɔe la, doa go, eye wokafua wo le du si me wowɔ esia le. Gɔmesese aɖeke mele nu sia hã ŋu o.
And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this [is] also vanity.
11 Le esi Mawu mehea to na nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo o ta la, amewo buna be ne yewowɔ nu vɔ̃ hã la, yewole dedie.
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Ke ne ame aɖe wɔ nu vɔ̃ zi alafa ɖeka eye wòganɔa agbe kokoko hã la, nenyae nyuie be ame siwo vɔ̃a Mawu la tɔ anyo wu godoo.
Though a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and his [days] are prolonged, yet surely I know that it will be well with them that fear God, who fear before him:
13 Ke nuvɔ̃wɔlawo manɔ agbe didi vivi o; woƒe ŋkekewo nu ava yi kaba abe vɔvɔli ene, elabena womevɔ̃a Mawu o.
But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14 Nu trama aɖe le dzɔdzɔm le anyigba la dzi, edzena abe ɖe Mawu nana dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔna ɖe ame nyui aɖewo dzi abe ame vɔ̃ɖiwoe wonye ene, eye wònana dzɔgbenyui ame vɔ̃ɖi aɖewo abe ame nyuiwo wonye ene. Esiawo katã hã nye tofloko ko!
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there are just [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also [is] vanity.
15 Ale meɖo ta me be maɖu agbe le nye ŋkekewo katã me elabena mekpɔ be naneke menyo le xexe blibo la me wu be ame naɖu nu, ano nu, akpɔ dzidzɔ o eye amea nakpɔ mɔ be yeanɔ dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ sia dzi le dɔ sesẽ siwo katã Mawu ɖo na amewo katã le afi sia afi la wɔwɔ me.
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
16 Esi mebu ta me be manya nu eye malé ŋku ɖe amegbetɔ ƒe dɔwɔwɔ le anyigba dzi, esi medɔa alɔ̃ le ŋkeke me loo alo le zã me o ŋuti la,
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also [there is that] neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
17 tete mekpɔ nu siwo katã Mawu wɔ. Ame aɖeke mate ŋu ase nu siwo yia edzi le ɣe la te gɔme o. Togbɔ be edze agbagba be yeaku nuwo gɔme hã la, amegbetɔ mate ŋu ake ɖe woƒe gɔmesese ŋu o. Ne nunyala aɖe atɔ asi akɔ be yenya nu hã la, mate ŋu ase egɔme wòade o.
Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man may labor to seek [it] out, yet he shall not find [it]; yes further; though a wise [man] thinketh to know [it], yet shall he not be able to find [it].
