Ecclesiastes 4
1 Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
Bio, mehwɛ mihuu nhyɛso a ɛrekɔ so wɔ owia yi ase: Mihuu wɔn a wɔredi wɔn nya no nusu na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara; tumi no wɔ wɔn nhyɛsofo no nsam na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara.
2 So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
Na mekae se: Awufo a wɔawuwu dedaw no, ani gye sen ateasefo; wɔn a wɔda so wɔ nkwa mu no.
3 But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
Na nea oye sen baanu yi ne nea onnya mmae, nea onnya nhuu bɔne a wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase.
4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Na mihuu sɛ adwumayɛ mu ɔbrɛ ne nea onipa tumi yɛ nyinaa nnyinaso ne sɛ nʼani bere ne yɔnko. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, mmirika a wotu taa mframa.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
Ɔkwasea bobɔw ne nsa gu ne ho na ɔsɛe ne ho.
6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
Nsammua baako a asomdwoe wɔ mu ye sen nsammua abien a ɔbrɛ bata ho; ɛte sɛ nea wotaa mframa.
7 Again, I saw futility under the sun.
Afei nso mihuu biribi a ɛnka hwee wɔ owia yi ase:
8 There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
Na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ ankonam; onni ɔbabarima anaa onuabarima. Nʼadwumaden amma nʼawie da, nanso nʼani ansɔ nʼahonya. Obisaa ne ho se, “Na hena na merebrɛ ama no, na adɛn nti na mede anigye kame me kra?” Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛyɛ ɔhaw kwa.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
Baanu ye sen ɔbaakofo, efisɛ wonya wɔn brɛ so mfaso a ɛsɔ ani:
10 For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
Sɛ ɔbaako hwe ase a ne yɔnko betumi aboa no. Nanso onipa a ɔhwe ase a onni ɔboafo no, yɛ mmɔbɔ.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
Bio, sɛ baanu da bɔ mu a wɔka wɔn ho hyew. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ankonam bɛka ne ho hyew?
12 And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ɔbaakofo de, wobetumi aka no ahyɛ nanso baanu tumi pere wɔn ti. Hama a wɔawɔ no mmɛsa no, wontumi ntetew mu ntɛm.
13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
Ɔbabun nyansafo a odi hia ye sen ɔhene akwakoraa a ɔyɛ ɔkwasea na ontie kɔkɔbɔ bio.
14 For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
Ebia na ɔbabun no fi afiase na obedii ade anaasɛ wɔwoo no too ohia mu wɔ adehye abusua mu.
15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
Mihuu sɛ wɔn a wɔtenaa ase na wɔnantew owia yi ase nyinaa dii ɔbabun no akyi, nea odii ɔhene no ade no.
16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Nnipadɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn dii nʼakyi. Nanso nkyirimma no ani annye ne ho. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
