Ecclesiastes 5
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
Sɛ wokɔ Onyankopɔn fie a, hwɛ wʼanammɔntuo yie. Bɛn no na tie no sene sɛ wobɛbɔ nkwaseafoɔ afɔdeɛ, wɔn a wɔnnim mfomsoɔ a wɔyɛ no.
2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
Mpɛ ntɛm nkasa, mma wʼakoma ho mpere no sɛ ɔbɛka asɛm bi wɔ Onyankopɔn anim. Onyankopɔn te ɔsoro na wo deɛ, wo wɔ asase so, enti ma wo nsɛm nyɛ kakraa bi.
3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Sɛdeɛ adaeɛsoɔ firi adwendwene bebree mu ba no, saa ara na ɔkwasea kasa tentene teɛ.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
Sɛ wohyɛ Onyankopɔn bɔ a, ntwentwɛn wo nan ase wɔ ho. Ɔnni anigyeɛ wɔ nkwaseafoɔ mu; enti di wo bɔhyɛ so.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
Sɛ woanhyɛ bɔ koraa a, ɛyɛ sene sɛ wobɛhyɛ bɔ na wonni so.
6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
Mma wʼano mfa wo nkɔ bɔne mu. Nyi wʼano nkyerɛ asɔredan mu ɔsomfoɔ sɛ, “Me bɔhyɛ no yɛ mfomsoɔ.” Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn bo fu deɛ woka na ɔsɛe wo nsa ano adwuma?
7 For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
Adaeɛso ne nsɛm keka bebree nka hwee. Enti suro Onyankopɔn.
8 If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
Sɛ wohunu ohiani a wɔhyɛ ne so wɔ ɔmansin bi mu, na atɛntenenee ne ahofadie abɔ no a, mma yeinom nyɛ wo nwanwa ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ ɔso sene no hwɛ ne so, na deɛ ɔso sene wɔn baanu no nso hwɛ wɔn so.
9 The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
Asase no so siadeɛ wɔ ɛso nnipa nyinaa, na ɔhene no ankasa na ɔnya mfuo no so mfasodeɛ.
10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
Deɛ nʼani bere sika no nnya deɛ ɛdɔɔso da; na deɛ ɔpɛ ahonyadeɛ dodoɔ no ani nsɔ deɛ ɔnya. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
11 When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?
Adetɔndeɛ bu so a, saa ara na atɔfoɔ no nso dɔɔso. Na mfasoɔ bɛn na deɛ ɛwɔ noɔ no nya sene sɛ ɔde nʼani bɛhwɛ?
12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
Ɔpaani da ma nʼani kum, sɛ wadidi amee anaasɛ wammee, nanso ɔdefoɔ ahonya dodoɔ enti ɔntumi nna.
13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
Ɔhaw kɛseɛ bi a mahunu no wɔ owia yi ase nie: sɛ wɔboaboa ahonyadeɛ ano de ha ne wura,
14 or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
anaasɛ ɔbɛhwere ahonyadeɛ wɔ amanehunu mu a enti sɛ ɔnya ɔbabarima bi a hwee nni hɔ a wɔde bɛgya no.
15 As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.
Adagya na onipa de firi ne maame yafunu mu baeɛ, na sɛdeɛ ɔbaeɛ no, saa ara na ɔbɛkorɔ. Ɔmmfa nʼadwumayɛ so mfasodeɛ biara a ɔbɛtumi akuta wɔ ne nsa mu nkɔ.
16 This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
Yei nso yɛ ɔhaw kɛseɛ: Sɛdeɛ onipa ba no, saa ara na ɔkorɔ, na mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔnya wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔyɛ adwuma ma mframa?
17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
Ne nna nyinaa mu no, ɔdidi a, nʼanom nyɛ no dɛ ɛfiri sɛ abamubuo, ateeteeɛ ne abufuo wɔ no so.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.
Afei mehunuu sɛ ɛyɛ ma onipa sɛ ɔbɛdidi na wanom na wama nʼani agye nʼadwumaden ho wɔ owia yi ase, wɔ mmerɛ kakra a Onyankopɔn de ama no yi mu, ɛfiri sɛ yei ne ne kyɛfa.
19 Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.
Deɛ ɛka ho ne sɛ, sɛ Onyankopɔn ma onipa bi ahonyadeɛ ne adenya, na ɔnya ahotɔ, de anigyeɛ yɛ nʼadwuma, na ɔhunu sɛ ne kyɛfa ne no a, ɔnnkae sɛ ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn akyɛdeɛ.
20 For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
Ɔnntaa ntena ase nnwene ne nkwa nna ho, ɛfiri sɛ Onyankopɔn de akoma mu anigyeɛ ama no.
