Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
Sɛdeɛ nwansena funu ma aduhwam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakra boro nimdeɛ ne animuonyam so.
2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
Onyansafoɔ akoma kom kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea akoma kɔ benkum.
3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɛkwan so a wɔhunu sɛ ɔnnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hunu sɛ wagyimi.
4 If the wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
Sɛ sodifoɔ bo fu wo a, nnya wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboaseɛ dwodwo mfomsoɔ kɛseɛ ano.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahunu wɔ owia yi ase. Ɛyɛ mfomsoɔ bi a ɛfiri sodifoɔ:
6 The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
Wɔma nkwaseafoɔ diberɛ a ɛkorɔn, na asikafoɔ nya deɛ ɛwɔ fam.
7 I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
Mahunu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
8 He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
Obiara a ɔtu amena no bɛtumi atɔ mu; na deɛ ɔbubu ɔfasuo no, ɔwɔ bɛtumi aka no.
9 He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
Obiara a ɔpae aboɔ no, aboɔ no bɛtumi apira no; na deɛ ɔpae nnua no bɛtumi anya mu akwanhyia.
10 If the iron has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
Sɛ abonnua ano akum na wɔanse ano a, ɛbɛhia ahoɔden bebree nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdie bɛba.
11 If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwodwo no a deɛ ɔdwodwo ɔwɔ no rennya ho mfasoɔ biara.
12 The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
Onyansafoɔ anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ asɛeɛ mu.
13 The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
Ahyɛaseɛ no, ne nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; na ɛkɔwie abɔdamsɛm bɔne,
14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim deɛ ɛreba, hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka deɛ ɛbɛsi nʼakyi akyerɛ no?
15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma ɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
16 Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting in the morning.
Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo ɔhene yɛ akwa na wo mmapɔmma to ɛpono anɔpa.
17 Happy is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo ɔhene yɛ ɔdehyeɛ na wo mmapɔmma didi ɛberɛ a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden, na ɛnyɛ nsãborɔ.
18 When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a, ne mpunan yɛ mmerɛ; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a, ne fie nwunu.
19 A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
Wɔto ɛpono ma sereɛ, na nsã ma onipa ahosɛpɛ, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safoa.
20 Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
Wʼadwene mu mpo, nkasa ntia ɔhene, na wowɔ piam nso a, nnome osikani, ɛfiri sɛ anomaa a ɔnam ewiem de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ, na anomaa a otuo bɛkɔ akɔka.
