Ecclesiastes 12
1 Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Kae wo Bɔfoɔ wɔ wo mmeranteberɛ mu, ansa na nnabɔne no aba na mfeɛ a wobɛka sɛ, “Menni mu anigyeɛ biara” no reba,
2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
ansa na owia ne hann, ɔsrane ne nsoromma aduru sum, na omununkum asane aba osutɔ akyi.
3 in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,
Ɛberɛ a efie no awɛmfoɔ ho popo, na mmarima ahoɔdenfoɔ akom, ɛberɛ a ayamfoɔ agyae adwumayɛ, sɛ wɔsua enti na wɔn a wɔhwɛ mpoma mu no ani so ayɛ kusuu;
4 and the doors shall be shut in the street; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one shall rise up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
ɛberɛ a wɔatoto abɔntene no apono mu na ayammeeɛ nnyegyeeɛ ano abrɛ ase; ɛberɛ a nnipa te nnomaa su na wɔanyane, nanso wɔn nnwontoɔ ano brɛ ase;
5 yea, they shall be afraid of [that which is] high, and terrors [shall be] in the way; and the almond-tree shall blossom, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his everlasting home, and the mourners go about the streets:
ɛberɛ a nnipa suro ɛsoro kɔ ne mmɔntene so amanenyasɛm; ɛberɛ a sorɔno dua bɛgu nhyerɛnne na abɛbɛ wea korɔ na nkatedeɛ ho adwodwoɔ. Afei onipa kɔ ne daa homeɛ mu na agyaadwotwafoɔ tu gu mmɔntene so.
6 before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
Kae no, ansa na dwetɛ ahoma no ate, anaasɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ayowaa no abɔ; ansa na sukuruwa no abobɔ wɔ asutene ho, anaasɛ asubura so nkyimiiɛ abubu,
7 and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
na dɔteɛ sane kɔ asase a ɛfiri mu baeɛ, na honhom no tu kɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔde maeɛ no nkyɛn.
8 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.
“Ahuhudeɛ mu ahuhudeɛ” ɔsɛnkafoɔ no na ɔseɛ. “Biribiara yɛ ahuhudeɛ!”
9 And further, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no yɛ onyansafoɔ na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdweneeɛ na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na ɔbubuu mmɛ bebree.
10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written uprightly, [even] words of truth.
Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no hwehwɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛnya nsɛm a ɛfata, na deɛ ɔtwerɛeɛ no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokorɛ nso.
11 The words of the wise are as goads; and as nails well fastened are [the words of] the masters of assemblies, [which] are given from one shepherd.
Anyansafoɔ nsɛm te sɛ anantwikafoɔ mpea. Wɔn nsɛm a wɔaboa ano te sɛ nnadewa a wɔde abobɔ dua mu ma akɔ mu yie. Saa nsɛm yi nyinaa firi Odwanhwɛfoɔ baako nkyɛn.
12 And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Mebɔ wo kɔkɔ sɛ twe wo ho firi biribiara a ɛka yeinom ho, me babarima. Nwoma bebrebe atwerɛ nni awieeɛ, na ne sua pii no ma honam yɛ mmerɛ.
13 [This is] the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole [duty] of man.
Afei ne nyinaa atɔ asom; nsɛm no awieeɛ nie: Suro Onyankopɔn na di nʼahyɛdeɛ so, na onipa asɛdeɛ nyinaa nie.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Onyankopɔn bɛbu adeyɛ biara atɛn, deɛ wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.
