Psalmowo 39

1 David ƒe ha na hɛnɔ Yedutun. Megblɔ be, “Malé ŋku ɖe nye mɔwo ŋu, akpɔ nye aɖe dzi be mawɔ nu vɔ̃ o, eye zi ale si ame vɔ̃ɖi la gale ŋkunye me la, made ga nye nu.”

I said [to myself], “I will be careful not to sin by the things that I say [MTY]. I will not say anything [to complain] while wicked people are near to me [and can hear me].”

2 Gake esi mezi ɖoɖoe li kpoo, eye nyemele nya nyui aɖeke gblɔm o hã la, nye vevesese do ga ɖe edzi.

[So] I was completely silent [DOU], and I did not [even] talk about things that were good, but it was useless, because I began to suffer even more.

3 Nye dzi xɔ dzo ɖe dɔ me nam; esi mele ŋugble dem la, exɔ dzo ɖe edzi; tete meƒo nu kple nye aɖe.

I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought [about my troubles], I became more worried. Then [finally] I said [MTY],

4 “O! Yehowa, fia nye agbe ƒe nuwuwu kple ŋkeke ale si manɔ agbee lam; eye na manya ale si nye agbe le du dzii.

“Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!

5 Èwɔ nye ŋkekewo wole abe asi ƒe kekeme ko ene, eye nye agbenɔɣi menye naneke le ŋkuwò me o. Amegbetɔ ɖe sia ɖe ƒe agbe le abe ƒuƒu ko ene. (Sela)

[It seems that] you have caused me to live only a short time; (my lifetime/all the time that I have lived) seems like nothing to you. The time that all we humans live is [as short as] [MET] a puff of wind.

6 “Amegbetɔ le yiyim, le gbɔgbɔm, ke vɔvɔli ko wònye. Ele agbagba dzem, gake wo katã nye nu dzodzro Eli kɔ kesinɔnuwo gleglegle, gake menya ame si ƒe asi me woayi ɖo o.

Then we disappear like a shadow does. It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless. We [sometimes] get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it [after we die].

7 “Aƒetɔ, ke azɔ la, nu ka makpɔ mɔ na? Nye mɔkpɔkpɔ le mewò.

So now, Yahweh, if I expect [RHQ] [to receive blessings from other people], I will be disappointed. You are the [only] one from whom I confidently expect [to receive blessings].

8 Ɖem tso nye vodadawo katã me, eye mègawɔm mazu alɔmeɖenu na yakamewo o.

Save me from [being punished for] all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.

9 Mezi ɖoɖoe, nyemake nu o, elabena wòe wɔ esia.

I did not say anything [when you punished me], because [I knew that] you were the one who caused [me to suffer].

10 Ɖe wò tohehe si le dzinye la ɖa; wò asi va dzinye kple ŋusẽ ale metsi anyigba.

But now, please stop punishing me! [If you do not do that], I am about to die because of the ways that you [SYN] have struck/afflicted me.

11 Èkaa mo, eye nèhea to na amewo ɖe woƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta; ègblẽa woƒe kesinɔnuwo dome abe agbagblaʋui ene, ale amegbetɔ ɖe sia ɖe le abe ƒuƒu ko ene. (Sela)

When you rebuke someone and punish him for the sin that he has committed, you destroy the things that (he loves/are precious to him), like moths’ [larva] destroy clothing. Our lives [disappear like] a puff of wind.

12 “O! Yehowa, se nye gbedodoɖa, nye ɣlidodo hena kpekpeɖeŋu nede to me na wò; mègado toku nye avifafa o. Amedzro kple mɔzɔla menye le gbɔwò abe ale si fofonyewo katã nɔ ene.

Yahweh, listen to me while I pray; pay attention to me while I cry out to you. Help me while I am crying. I am here on the earth for only a short time, like all my ancestors.

13 Ɖe ŋku ɖa le ŋunye, ale be magakpɔ dzidzɔ hafi mayi, eye nyemaganɔ anyi o.”

[Now] please leave me alone, [and do not punish me any more] in order that I may smile and be happy for a while before I die. [EUP, DOU]”