1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling? 2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 4 When 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. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good. 8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more . 10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions: 15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life. 16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be .
1 Fo hadamadiŋo buka dookuu koleŋo le ke duniyaa kono baŋ?
A ka tara boriŋ-boriŋ kaŋ ne luŋ-wo-luŋ komeŋ tili dookuulaa.
2 A la kuwo ka muluŋ ne ko joŋo meŋ be dahaa ñinoo la,
komeŋ tili dookuulaa, meŋ be joobatoo la.
3 Ka kari-wo-kari tambindi kenseŋ,
wo le keta nte niyo ti.
Suuto-wo-suuto n ka a bee tambindi bataa le kono.
4 Niŋ ŋa n laa, n ka ñaani wuloo le koto.
Bari suutoo ka jamfa m fee le,
n ka tu yelemaŋ-yelemaŋo le la, fo fanoo ye ke.
5 M baloo kono bee keta tumboo ti,
aniŋ m bala fatewo kaŋ bee keta maadiŋ fatoolu ti.
Niŋ ì kendeyaata doroŋ,
ì ye faa fiyo la kotenke.
6 M baluu tiloolu tambiñaa le tariyaata,
ka tambi daarilaŋ walaa la.
Ì bee ka tambi le fo ì ye baŋ,
jiki maŋ soto n na kuwo to.
7 Alla, i hakiloo bulandi ko,
nte la baluwo la sutiyaa be le ko niijiyo niŋ niiseloo teema.
N te kuu betoo loŋ na kotenke.
8 Alla, i ñaa be n na le saayiŋ,
bari a te mee la, i te n je la kotenke.
Niŋ i ye n na kuwo juubee,
i be a tara la, nte maŋ tara keriŋ.
9 Ko tawaloo ka janjaŋ ñaameŋ, a ye yeemaŋ,
moolu fanaalu mennu ka taa fureeduu,
ì buka muru naŋ kotenke wo le ñaama.
10 Ì buka muru naŋ kotenke ì la buŋolu kono,
sako ì bodulaalu si ì loŋ kotenke.
11 Wo kamma la, n te n deyi la.
M be n na niikuyaa daa fo la le.
N niyo toorata le, n ñanta a fo la le.
12 Alla, muŋ ne ye a tinna i ka nte la kuwo koroosi waati-wo-waati?
Nte maŋ ke ninkinankoo ti,
meŋ ñanta kanta la.
13 N ka jiki, m be dahaa soto la n na laaraŋo le kaŋ,
aniŋ n na foñondiŋ dulaa be ke la n ye bataa boraŋo le ti.
14 Bari i ka silaŋo le naati n kaŋ,
i ye kijafaroo laa n kaŋ,
n ka jeri feŋolu mennu je siiboo kono.
15 Ka n kankoroo dete ŋa faa,
wo le be diyaa la nte ye.
Ŋa faa, wo le be fisiyaa la nte ye ñiŋ dimoo ti.
16 M pasita le ka tara baluwo to,
hani wo nte, n te tara la baluwo to fo fawu.
M bula ŋa faa.
Nte la tara baluuriŋ nafaa mu muŋ ne ti?
17 Muŋ ne ye a tinna hadamadiŋo kummaayaata ite ye,
fo i be a la kuwo hakilitu la?
18 I ka tara a la kuwo hakilituriŋ soomandaa-wo-soomandaa.
I ka tara a kotobo la waati-wo-waati.
19 I te i la hakilituwo bo la n kaŋ baŋ fo waati doo?
I ye m bula m faŋ ma, fo n si n daajiyo kunuŋ noo.
20 Niŋ ŋa junube kuwo ke,
ŋa muŋ kuu le ke i la, ite hadamadiŋolu Kantalaa?
Muŋ ne ye a tinna, i hameta n kamma?
Fo n na kuwo keta i ye kunto dunoo le ti baŋ?
21 Muŋ ne ye a tinna i maŋ kafari ke n ye,
i ye yamfa n na junube kuwolu la?
A te mee la, m be tara la laariŋ kaburoo kono.
I si n na kuu juubee, bari n te tara la keriŋ.