Ecclesiastes 2
1 So then I thought to myself, “Alright, let me examine pleasure and see how good that is.” But this too turned out to be something temporary that passes.
Mekaa wɔ me koma mu se, “Afei bra, mede anigye bɛsɔ wo ahwɛ na yɛahu nea eye.” Nanso ankosi hwee.
2 I conclude that laughing your way through life is stupid, and pleasure—what use is that?
Mekae se, “Ɔserew yɛ nkwaseade. Na dɛn na anigye tumi yɛ?”
3 Then I used my mind to examine the attraction of wine to my body. My mind still guiding me with wisdom, I took it until I acted like a fool, so that I might see whether this was good for people to do during their time here.
Mepɛɛ sɛ mihu nea eye pa ara ma yɛn wɔ bere tiaa a yɛwɔ wɔ asase yi so no. Enti meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede nsa bɛsɛpɛw me ho na mahwehwɛ, ahu nkwaseasɛm nkyerɛase, a na nyansa da so bɔ mʼankasa mʼadwene ho ban.
4 Then I tried great construction projects. I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
Mede me nsa hyɛɛ nnwuma akɛse ase; misisii adan yɛɛ bobe nturo.
5 I made for myself gardens and parks, planting them with all kinds of fruit trees.
Meyɛɛ nturo ne ahomegyebea na miduaduaa nnuaba ahorow bebree wɔ mu.
6 I constructed for myself reservoirs to water all these growing trees.
Misisii nsukorae a mɛtwe nsu afi mu, de agugu nnua a ɛrenyin no so.
7 I bought male and female slaves, and their children also belonged to me. I also owned many herds and flocks, more than anyone in Jerusalem before me.
Metɔɔ nkoa ne mfenaa, na minyaa ebinom nso a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ me fi. Afei nso, minyaa anantwi ne nguan bebree sen obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem.
8 I collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!
Mepɛɛ dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, gyigyee ahemfo ne amantam no ademude kaa ho. Mefaa mmarima ne mmea nnwontofo, pɛɛ mmea atenae nso; nea ɛyɛ ɔbarima koma anigyede biara.
9 I became great—greater than anyone in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom stayed with me.
Migyee din sen obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem. Eyinom nyinaa mu no me nimdeɛ kɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma.
10 I didn't stop myself trying anything I wanted. Whatever I felt like enjoying, I did. I even enjoyed everything I had accomplished, a reward for all my work.
Nea mʼani hwehwɛe biara mamfa ankame no; mansiw me koma anigye ho kwan. Me koma ani gyee me nnwuma nyinaa ho, na eyi yɛ mʼadwumayɛ so akatua.
11 But when I thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.
Nanso sɛ mehwɛ nea me nsa ayɛ nyinaa ne nea mabrɛ anya a, ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛnea wotu mmirika taa mframa mannya mfaso biara wɔ owia yi ase.
12 So I started to think about wisdom—and madness and foolishness. For what can anyone who comes after the king do that hasn't already been done?
Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ nimdeɛ, adammɔsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm so. Dɛn bio na nea wadi ɔhene ade betumi ayɛ asen nea wɔayɛ dedaw no?
13 I recognized that wisdom is better than foolishness just as light is better than darkness.
Mihuu sɛ nimdeɛ ye sen nkwaseasɛm, sɛnea hann yɛ sen sum no.
14 The wise see where they're going, but fools walk in darkness. But I also realized that they all come to the same end.
Onyansafo ani wɔ ne tirim, na ɔkwasea de, ɔnantew sum mu; nanso mihuu sɛ wɔn nyinaa nkrabea yɛ pɛ.
15 Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”
Afei misusuw wɔ me koma mu se, “Ɔkwasea nkrabea bɛto me nso. Enti sɛ mihu nyansa a mfaso bɛn na minya?” Mekaa wɔ me koma mu se, “Eyi nso nka hwee.”
16 Nobody remembers the wise or the fool for very long—in the future everything will be forgotten. Whether wise or foolish, they both die.
Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, onyansafo nso, wɔrenkae no daa; nna a ɛreba no mu, wɔrenkae wɔn baanu no. Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, onyansafo nso bewu!
17 So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.
Ɛno nti asetena fonoo me, na adwuma a yɛyɛ wɔ owia yi ase no haw me. Ne nyinaa yɛ ahuhude, te sɛnea wotu mmirika taa mframa.
18 I even ended up hating what I had achieved here on earth because I have to hand it over to whoever comes after me.
Mikyii nea mayɛ adwuma apɛ nyinaa wɔ owia yi ase, efisɛ ɛsɛ sɛ migyaw hɔ ma nea obedi mʼade.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!
Na hena na onim sɛ onipa ko no bɛyɛ onyansafo anaa ɔkwasea? Nanso nea mabiri me mogya ani apɛ wɔ owia yi ase nyinaa bɛkɔ ne nsam. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
20 I decided to give up, my mind in despair over the significance of all my life's achievements.
Enti mepaa abaw wɔ owia yi ase adwumaden ho.
21 For you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!
Na onipa befi ne nimdeɛ, nyansa ne adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ mu ayɛ nʼasɛde, na afei ɛsɛ sɛ ogyaw nʼadwumayɛ so aba ma obi a ɔnyɛɛ adwuma biara. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, na ɛhaw adwene.
22 What do you get here on earth for all your hard work and worry?
Dɛn na onipa nya fi ne brɛ ne dadwen a ɔde yɛ adwuma wɔ owia yi ase mu?
23 Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!
Ne nkwanna nyinaa, nʼadwumayɛ yɛ ɔyaw ne ɔhaw; anadwo mpo nʼadwene yɛ adwuma. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
24 So what's the best thing to do? Eat, drink, and enjoy your work, recognizing as I did that these things are given to us by God,
Biribiara nsen sɛ onipa bedidi na wanom na wanya ahotɔ wɔ adwumayɛ mu. Eyi nso mihuu sɛ efi Onyankopɔn,
25 for who can eat or enjoy life apart from him?
efisɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno a anka hena na obetumi adidi anaasɛ obenya ahotɔ?
26 To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.
Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no, ɔma no nimdeɛ, nyansa ne anigye, nanso omumɔyɛfo de, ɔma ɔboaboa ahonyade ano ma nea ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, sɛnea wɔde mmirikatu taa mframa no.
