Ecclesiastes 11
1 Give generously to others [some of] the money [MET] that you have; if you do that, later you will get back an equal amount.
Na nu amewo faa elabena wò nunana atrɔ ava wò ŋutɔ gbɔwò gbe aɖe gbe emegbe.
2 Share some of what you have with (seven or eight/several) [others], because you do not know when you will experience a disaster, [and if you give some of what you have to others], [when you experience that disaster, they will kindly help you].
Ma wò nunanawo ɖe akpa adre alo akpa enyi me elabena ɖewohĩ wò ŋutɔ ahiã kpekpeɖeŋu geɖe le ŋkeke siwo ava la me.
3 [It is always true that] when clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. [Similarly], wherever a tree falls on the ground, that is where it will remain.
Ne tsi sɔ gbɔ ɖe lilikpowo me la, tsi dzana. Ne ati aɖe mu eye wòdze dziehe alo anyiehe gome la, etsia afi si wòdze.
4 If farmers see in what direction the wind is blowing, they will know whether it is wise at that time to plant things or not. [It is also true that] if farmers look at the clouds [and see that they are blowing from the west, which means that it will probably rain, ] they will not [try to] harvest their crops on that day.
Ame si léa ŋku ɖe ya ƒe ƒoƒo ŋu la, meƒãa nu o eye ame si léa ŋku ɖe lilikpowo ŋu la, meŋea nu o.
5 We do not know where the wind comes from or where it goes, and we do not know how bodies are formed in women’s wombs. Similarly [SIM], God is the one who made everything, and we cannot [fully] understand what God does.
Mawu ƒe mɔwo le manyamanya me na mí abe ale si míenya ya ƒe toƒe o kple ale si ame ƒe gbɔgbɔ gena ɖe vidzĩ ƒe lãme le esime vidzĩ la le dadaa ƒe dɔme la o ene.
6 [Start] planting your seeds in the morning, and do not stop planting them until the evening, because you do not know which ones will grow better, the ones you plant in the morning or the ones you plant later in the day, or whether both will grow well.
Nɔ wò nukuwo ƒaƒã dzi ko, elabena màte ŋu anya esiwo agbe miemie o; ɖewohĩ wo katã amie.
7 It is very delightful to be alive and see [MTY] the sun [rise every morning].
Enye nu nyui wɔnuku aɖe be ame nanɔ agbe!
8 [Even] if people live for many years, they should enjoy all of them. But they should not forget that [some day they will die] and then they will never be able to see any light again, and we do not know what will happen to us after we die.
Ele be ame si tsi, xɔ ƒe geɖe la, nakpɔ dzidzɔ gbe sia gbe le eƒe agbe me, ke wòaɖo ŋku viviti ƒe ŋkekewo dzi, elabena woasɔ gbɔ, eye nu siwo le agbe sia me la nye tofloko sɔŋ ko, ne wotsɔ wo sɔ ɖe agbe kemɛ tɔwo ŋu.
9 You young people, be happy while you are still young. Enjoy [IDM] doing the things that you want to do. But do not forget that [some day] God will judge you concerning all the things that you do.
Ɖekakpui, kpɔ dzidzɔ le wò ɖekakpuime, eye nàna wò dzi naɖu agbe le wò ɖekakpuime. Zɔ ɖe wò dzi ƒe didi kple wò ŋku ƒe nukpɔkpɔ nu, ke nyae be Mawu adrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wò le nu siawo katã ta,
10 [So when you are young] [MTY], do not worry about anything, and do not pay attention to the pains that you have in your body, because we will not remain young and strong forever.
eya ta ɖe nuxaxa ɖa le wò dzime, eye nàte nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ɖa xaa tso wò ŋutilã gbɔ, elabena ɖekapuimenɔnɔ kple ŋutsumeɖoɖo hã nye tofloko ko.
