Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!” But it proved to be futile.
Mekaa mʼakomam sɛ, “Afei bra, mede anigyeɛ bɛsɔ wo ahwɛ na yɛahunu deɛ ɛyɛ.” Nanso, ankɔsi hwee.
2 I said of laughter, “It is folly,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?”
Mekaa sɛ, “Ɔsereɛ yɛ nkwaseadeɛ. Na ɛdeɛn na anigyeɛ tumi yɛ?”
3 I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.
Mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu deɛ ɛyɛ pa ara ma yɛn wɔ ɛberɛ tiawa a yɛwɔ wɔ asase yi so. Enti meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede nsã bɛsɛpɛ me ho na mahwehwɛ, ahunu nkwaseasɛm asekyerɛ, a mʼankasa deɛ, mennyɛ ɔkwasea.
4 I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.
Mede me nsa hyɛɛ nnwuma akɛseɛ ase; mesisii adan yɛɛ bobe nturo.
5 I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
Meyɛɛ nturo ne ahomegyebea na meduaduaa nnuaba ahodoɔ bebree wɔ mu.
6 I built reservoirs to water my groves of flourishing trees.
Mesisii nsukoraeɛ a mɛtwe nsuo afiri mu, de agugu nnua a ɛrenyini no so.
7 I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,
Metɔɔ nkoa ne mfenaa, na menyaa ebinom nso a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ me fie. Afei nso menyaa anantwie ne nnwan bebree sene obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem.
8 and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.
Mepɛɛ dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, gyegyee ahemfo ne amantam no ademudeɛ kaa ho. Mefaa mmarima ne mmaa nnwomtofoɔ, pɛɛ mmaa atenaeɛ nso; deɛ ɛyɛ ɔbarima akoma anigyedeɛ biara.
9 So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.
Megyee edin sene obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem. Yeinom nyinaa mu no, me nimdeɛ kɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma.
10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Deɛ mʼani hwehwɛeɛ biara, mamfa ankame no; mansi mʼakoma anigyeɛ ho ɛkwan. Mʼakoma ani gyee me nnwuma nyinaa ho, na yei yɛ mʼadwumayɛ so akatua.
11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Nanso sɛ mehwɛ deɛ me nsa ayɛ nyinaa ne deɛ mabrɛ anya a, ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛ deɛ wɔtu mmirika taa mframa. Mannya mfasoɔ biara wɔ owia yi ase.
12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king’s successor do than what has already been accomplished?
Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ nimdeɛ, abɔdamsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm so. Ɛdeɛn bio na deɛ wɔadi ɔhene adeɛ bɛtumi ayɛ asene deɛ wɔayɛ dada no?
13 And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:
Mehunuu sɛ, nimdeɛ yɛ sene nkwaseasɛm, sɛdeɛ hann yɛ sene esum no.
14 The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
Onyansafoɔ ani wɔ ne tirim, na ɔkwasea deɛ, ɔnante esum mu; nanso mehunuu sɛ wɔn nyinaa hyɛberɛ yɛ pɛ.
15 So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.
Afei mesusuu mʼakomam sɛ, “Ɔkwasea hyɛberɛ bɛto me nso. Enti sɛ mehunu nyansa a, mfasoɔ bɛn na menya?” Mekaa wɔ mʼakomam sɛ, “Yei nso nka hwee.”
16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!
Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, ɔnyansafoɔ nso, wɔrenkae no daa; nna a ɛreba no mu, wɔrenkae wɔn baanu no. Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, onyansafoɔ nso bɛwu!
17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Ɛno enti asetena fonoo me, na adwuma a yɛyɛ wɔ owia yi ase no haa me. Ne nyinaa yɛ ahuhudeɛ, te sɛ deɛ wɔtu mmirika taa mframa.
18 I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
Mekyirii deɛ mayɛ adwuma apɛ nyinaa wɔ owia yi ase, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ megya hɔ ma deɛ ɔbɛdi mʼadeɛ.
19 And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.
Na hwan na ɔnim sɛ onipa ko no bɛyɛ onyansafoɔ anaa ɔkwasea? Nanso deɛ mabiri me mogya ani apɛ wɔ owia yi ase nyinaa bɛkɔ ne nsam. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
20 So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.
Enti mepaa aba wɔ owia yi ase adwumaden ho.
21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.
Na onipa bɛfiri ne nimdeɛ, nyansa ne adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ mu ayɛ nʼasɛdeɛ, na afei ɛsɛ sɛ ogya nʼadwumayɛ so aba ma obi a ɔnyɛɛ adwuma biara. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, na ɛha adwene.
22 For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?
Ɛdeɛn na onipa nya firi ne brɛ ne dadwene a ɔde yɛ adwuma wɔ owia yi ase mu?
23 Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Ne nkwa nna nyinaa, nʼadwumayɛ yɛ ɔyea ne ɔhaw; anadwo mpo nʼadwene yɛ adwuma. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
24 Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.
Biribiara nsene sɛ onipa bɛdidi na wanom na wanya ahomeka wɔ adwumayɛ mu. Yei nso mehunuu sɛ ɛfiri Onyankopɔn,
25 For apart from Him, who can eat and who can find enjoyment?
ɛfiri sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno a, anka hwan na ɔbɛtumi adidi anaasɛ ɔbɛnya ahomeka?
26 To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no, ɔma no nimdeɛ, nyansa ne anigyeɛ, nanso omumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, ɔma ɔboaboa ahonyadeɛ ano ma deɛ ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, sɛdeɛ wɔde mmirikatuo taa mframa.
