1 Ono ni taundiro se mandrebe 'bädri ya owo, ago läŋgyina tawi lidri dri; 2 Lu ozona ŋgadriamba, taoro ndi ŋgaamba be ndi 'diaza ri, ŋgase cini nda kolebe, caoko Lu ni ko nda o'bane njäkyine ŋgana iyi si, oko 'diatra aza njäkyina ni ŋga iyi si, ono orivoya taawi yi; ago orivoya rueza 'desiro yi. 3 Aba mano aza ka'do ca ŋgwai be kama alo ago kori ca ndroa na amba, ago madaro ondro ka'do nda känjäkyi ŋga kado se ori ono ro kote, ago ase nda kpa kote ose, matana ndi makye anjioko ŋgwa se ätibe dri luruŋwa ro avo ro 'do orivoya kadopara ni nda drisi. 4 Tana uti ye ŋga kado aza ko ŋgwa se ana ri, tana je ṛo vouni ya, ago ta anyaro je iro gwo; 5 anya ndre kitu ko ago ni ta aza ko tana ro, oko usu loli te ndrani mano ana ri. 6 Mano se ana kori ca ndroa na kutu ritu (2,000) oko känjäkyi ori ono ko, Inye 'do ànya riti ka ko oyi voalo 'do ya ya?
7 Lidri ka losi oye toto ŋga aza usuza onyane, caoko ojo ànya kote. 8 Takado se mano tavouni'ba be sina ndrani amama drisi e'diya? Ago mano se ati'ba ro usuna e'di kadoro yi o'basi taoyene kadoro lidri mile ya? 9 Orivoya kadopara ŋgase nya'dobe sina ri mi ojone ndrani ya miro ri a'done lovo ŋga robe ri; ono kpa orivoya taawi yi oso abe ugu oli onja ronye.
10 Ŋgase cini kabe a'do, a'do ṛote kyeno, mano aza unina ko kaladiṛine 'dise mbarana ndrani nda drisi be. 11 Nyate ugu kaladiṛi ndra oko, ugu a'do kpa gwo taawi ro ndra, ago lidri ni ko a'done kadoro ndra. 12 Ago a'di unina ni ŋgase orivoya kadoro lidri ri ori tu fereŋwa taawiro ono roya se kabe lävu oso lindri ronye ono tana unine ya? A'di unina ni ta ŋgase kabe oye a'done 'bädri ya noŋwa odra lidri ro vosi 'do tana itine ya?
1 I have noticed that in this world a serious injustice is done. 2 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right. 3 We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off. 4 It does that baby no good to be born; it disappears into darkness, where it is forgotten. 5 It never sees the light of day or knows what life is like, but at least it has found rest— 6 more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.
7 We do all our work just to get something to eat, but we never have enough. 8 How are the wise better off than fools? What good does it do the poor to know how to face life? 9 It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.
10 Everything that happens was already determined long ago, and we all know that you cannot argue with someone who is stronger than you. 11 The longer you argue, the more useless it is, and you are no better off. 12 How can anyone know what is best for us in this short, useless life of ours—a life that passes like a shadow? How can we know what will happen in the world after we die?