1“Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand?
1 Boro sinda tamtaray alwaati no ndunnya? A jirbey mo, Manti i ga hima sufuray goy-izey jirbey cine bo?
1Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? And are not his days like the days of a hireling?
2As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages,
2 Sanda bannya kaŋ ga yalla-yalla nda tuuri bi, Wala mo goy-ize kaŋ goono ga laakal dake nga banando gaa.
2As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:
3so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.
3 Yaadin cine no ay mo, I naŋ ay ma handu yaamoyaŋ ŋwa, Jirbiyaŋ kaŋ sinda fulanzamay no i waadu ay se.
3So am I made to possess months of misery, And wearisome nights are appointed to me.
4When I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise, and the night be gone?’ I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.
4 D'ay kani, ay ga ne: ‹Waati fo no ay ga tun, Waati fo no cino ga bisa?› Hala mo ma bo ay goono ga tangam nda bimbilkoyaŋey.
4When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust. My skin closes up, and breaks out afresh.
5 Nooney da laabu gudey n'ay gaahamo daabu. Ay kuuro bagu-bagu, ka hari fumbo kaa taray,
5My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; My skin closeth up, and breaketh out afresh.
6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
6 Ay jirbey waasu nda baa cakay gombo candiyaŋ, I go ga ban, beeje si no.
6My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And are spent without hope.
7Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
7 Ma fongu kaŋ ay fundo wo funsar no, Ay moy si ye ka di gomni koyne.
7Oh remember that my life is a breath: Mine eye shall no more see good.
8The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.
8 Boro kaŋ goono ga di ay, A mwa si ye k'ay guna koyne. Ni goono g'ay guna no, ay ga daray,
8The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be.
9As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol Sheol is the place of the dead. shall come up no more.
9 Sanda mate kaŋ cine beene hirriyaŋ ga say ka daray. Yaadin cine mo no boro kaŋ ga zumbu ka koy Alaahara, A koy si ye ka kaa koyne.
9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.
10He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
10 A si ye ka kaa nga windi koyne, A nangoray zeena mo si ye k'a bay koyne.
10He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.
11“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
11 Woodin sabbay se no ay si ye k'ay meyo gaay, Ay ga salaŋ no nda fundi doori. Ay biya forto ra no ay ga soobay ka salaŋ.
11Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you put a guard over me?
12 Ay wo teeku no, wala? Wala ay ya teeku ham beeri no, Kaŋ ni na batuko daŋ ay se?
12Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, That thou settest a watch over me?
13When I say, ‘My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;’
13 D'ay ne: ‹Ay dima g'ay kunfa, Ay daarijo mo g'ay dooro dogonandi ay se,›
13When I say, My bed shall comfort me, My couch shall ease my complaint;
14then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions:
14 Kala ni m'ay gartandi nda hindiriyaŋ, Ni g'ay humburandi nda bangayyaŋ.
14Then thou scarest me with dreams, And terrifiest me through visions:
15so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones.
15 Hal ay fundo ga ne dambe day i m'ay koote, Dambe ya bu, a ga bisa ay go biriyey wo ra.
15So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than [these] my bones.
16I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
16 Ay g'ay fundo fanta. Ay si funa hal abada. Kala ni ma fay d'ay, Zama ay jirbey ga hima funsar candiyaŋ folloŋ.
16I loathe [my life]; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him,
17 Ifo ga ti boro, sanku fa ni m'a beerandi, Wala ni ma ni laakal dake a gaa mo?
17What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him, And that thou shouldest set thy mind upon him,
18that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?
18 Ifo se no ni g'a kunfa susubay kulu? Ni g'a neesi alwaati kulu?
18And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, And try him every moment?
19How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?
19 Ni si fay d'ay gunayaŋ hal abada bo? Ni s'ay muray mo hal ay ma du k'ay yolla gon?
19How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?
20 Ya nin, borey haggoykwa, Baa ay na zunubi te, ifo no ay sara ni gaa? Ifo se no ni n'ay ciya gooyaŋ hari ni do, Hal ay ciya jaraw ay boŋ se?
20If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?
21Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be.”
21 Ifo se no ni man'ay taaley yaafa, Ni man'ay laala mo ganandi? Zama doŋ sohõ ay ga kani bulungo ra. Ni g'ay ceeci nda himma, amma ay si bara.»
21And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.