1For all this I laid to my heart and [indeed] to investigate all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; man knoweth neither love nor hatred: all is before them.
1 Woodin kulu, ay n'a daŋ ay bina ra, hal ay m'a fintal, sanda adilantey, da laakalkooney, da ngey goyey kulu, i go Irikoy kambe ra. Da baakasinay no wala konnari no, boro si bay hay kulu kaŋ go ni jine.
2All things [come] alike to all: one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
2 Guna, borey kulu koddoru folloŋ no i se. Adilantey da boro laaley, i mana fay -- boro hanno, da hanante, da ziibante, da boro kaŋ ga sargay te, da boro kaŋ s'a te. Boro hanno da zunubikooni, i mana fay. Boro kaŋ ga ze ga hima boro kaŋ ga humburu zeyaŋ.
3This is an evil among all that is done under the sun, that one thing befalleth all: yea, also the heart of the children of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that, [they have to go] to the dead.
3 Hari laalo kaŋ ga furo hay kulu kaŋ i ga te beena cire ra, nga neeya: borey kulu koddoru folloŋ no i se. Woodin banda, Adam-izey biney to da laala, follokomtaray mo go i boŋey ra i fundey me muudu kulu. Kokor banda mo, i ga koy buukoy do.
4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
4 Boro kaŋ nga nda fundikooney go care banda, beeje go a jine, zama hansi fundikooni bisa muusu beeri buuko.
5For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
5 Zama fundikooney ga bay kaŋ ngey ga bu, Amma buukoy si hay kulu bay. I sinda alhakku mo kaŋ cindi, Zama borey si ye ka fongu i gaa koyne.
6Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy is already perished; neither have they any more for ever a portion in all that is done under the sun.
6 Daahir, i baakasinay, d'i konnari, D'i anniya, sohõ i ban. I si ye ka du baa mo hay kulu ra Kaŋ i go ga te beena cire.
7Go, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
7 Ma ni diraw te ka ni ŋwaaro ŋwa da farhã. Ma ni duvaŋo* haŋ da bine kaani, Zama Irikoy yadda ka ni goyo ta.
8Let thy garments be always white, and let not thy head lack oil.
8 Ni bankaaray ma kwaaray waati kulu, Ni boŋo mo ma si jaŋ ji.
9Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou art labouring under the sun.
9 Ma goro nda bine kaani, nin da ni wando kaŋ ni ga ba, ni fundi jirbi yaamey kulu ra, kaŋ yaŋ i na ni no beena cire, zama ni baa no ni goray yaamo kulu ra, da ni goyo kaŋ ni ga te beena cire ra mo.
10Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.
10 Goy kulu kaŋ ni kambe gar, kala ni m'a te da ni anniya kulu, zama goy fo kulu, wala dabari, wala bayray, wala laakal si no noodin Alaahara, naŋ kaŋ ni go ga koy.
11I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to the intelligent, nor yet favour to men of knowledge; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
11 Ay ye ka guna koyne, Ay di kaŋ beena cire yonay wo, Manti boro kaŋ ga waasu no g'a ŋwa. Wongu mo, manti gaabikooni wane no. }waari mo, manti laakalkooni wane no, Arzaka mo, manti bayraykooni wane no, Gaakuri mo, manti goney hinne wane no, Zama alwaati nda bonkaanay ga kaa i kulu gaa.
12For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are taken with the snare, like them are the children of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
12 Zama boro si nga alwaato bay. Danga hamisa kaŋ i ga di taaru laalo ra, Wala curoyaŋ kaŋ i ga di hirrimi ra, Yaadin no i ga Adam-izey di alwaati laalo kaŋ ga gum i boŋ din ra.
13This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
13 Ay di laakal fo mo beena cire ya-cine, hari bambata mo no ay do.
14There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and encompassed it, and built great bulwarks against it:
14 Kwaara kayna fo go no kaŋ boro ciraariyaŋ no a ra. Kala bonkooni fo kande soojeyaŋ k'a windi, a na cinari beeriyaŋ mo sinji a se.
15and there was found in it a poor wise man, who by his wisdom delivered the city; but no man remembered that poor man.
15 Amma a ra i na talka laakalkooni fo gar. Nga mo, a laakalo do a na kwaara faaba. Kulu nda yaadin, a sinda boro kulu kaŋ ga fongu talka din gaa.
16Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength; but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
16 Gaa no ay ne: «Laakal wo, a bisa gaabi nafa.» Kulu nda yaadin, i ga donda talka laakal, i si maa a sanney se mo.
17The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
17 Laakalkooney sanney kaŋ i ga maa dangayyaŋ ra bisa jine boro kaatiyaŋ saamey game ra.
18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroyeth much good.
18 Laakal ga bisa wongu jinay albarka, Amma zunubikooni folloŋ ga hari hanno boobo halaci.