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?
Fankoo buka lafinna kuwo bee jaara noo
1 Ŋa kuu dimindiŋo le je ñiŋ duniyaa tiloo koto, aduŋ a be laariŋ baake hadamadiŋo le kaŋ: 2 Alla ye fankoo dii hadamadiŋ doo la, sotoo, aniŋ horomoo, a maŋ a fondi feŋ na a ye meŋ ŋaniya a faŋ ye. Bari Alla maŋ naa a mantaabendi ka niiseewoo soto ñiŋ feŋolu to. Moo koteŋ ne ka naa a faŋ seewondi ñiŋ feŋolu la. Nafaa te a la, aduŋ kuu dimindiŋo le mu.
3 Moo si diŋ keme soto noo, a ye siimaayaa. Bari a siyo si jamfa ñaa-wo-ñaa, niŋ a maŋ niiseewoo soto a la sotofeŋolu to, waraŋ a faata, a maŋ baadee, nte ko deenaani siibaloo le ye fisa a ti. 4 Deenaani siibaloo la naa maŋ nafaa soto, kaatu a faariŋo le ka naa, a ye taa diboo kono, aduŋ a too ka yeemaŋ wo diboo le kono. 5 A nene maŋ baluwo nene ñiŋ duniyaa tiloo koto, bari hani wo, ate le ye dahaa soto wo fankamaa ti. 6 Hani niŋ a ye a tara ñiŋ kewo ye sanji wuli fula le baluu, hani wo bee a maŋ niiseewoo soto. Fo ì bee labaŋo te ke la kiliŋ ne ti, kaburoo kono?
7 Hadamadiŋo la kata kuwo bee ka tara a konoo le ye,
bari hani wo, a buka wasa noo.
8 Moo ñaamendiŋo be toolewo ñaato muŋ ne la?
Fuwaaroo la maakuu moo kaŋ,
a ye muŋ nafaa le soto a ye?
9 Ka i ñaa loo feŋo kaŋ meŋ be i fee,
wo le fisiyaata ka tara bori kaŋ,
hame kuwo nooma doroŋ.
Ñiŋ fanaa maŋ ke feŋ ti,
a ka munta le ko foño bayindoo.
Hadamadiŋo la londoo ye dandulaa le soto
10 Feŋ-wo-feŋ be sotoriŋ,
too le diita a la,
aduŋ hadamadiŋo mu meŋ ti,
wo be londiŋ ne.
Meŋ semboo warata i ti,
i niŋ wo buka ñoo saba noo.
11 Daa be siyaa la doroŋ,
a kuma kenseŋo be siyaa la,
a ye muŋ nafaa le soto moo ye?
12 Jumaa le ka a loŋ, meŋ beteyaata hadamadiŋo ye, a baluu tili dantaŋ nafantaŋo kono, meŋ ka tambi ko niiniyo? Jumaa le ka a fo noo meŋ be naa ke la ñiŋ duniyaa tiloo koto, ate faariŋ koolaa?
