Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
Edin pa yɛ sene aduhwam papa, na owuda yɛ sene awoda.
2 It's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
Ɛyɛ sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayie ase sene sɛ ɔbɛkɔ apontoɔ ase, ɛfiri sɛ owuo yɛ onipa biara hyɛberɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefoɔ hyɛ yei nso.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
Awerɛhoɔ yɛ sene ɔsereɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔ mmɔbɔ de akoma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4 Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
Onyansafoɔ akoma wɔ ayie ase, nanso nkwaseafoɔ akoma wɔ ahosɛpɛfoɔ fie.
5 It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than to hear the song of fools.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛtie onyansafoɔ animka sene sɛ wɔbɛtie nkwaseafoɔ dwom.
6 The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
Sɛdeɛ nkasɛɛ turituri wɔ ɛsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafoɔ sereɛ teɛ. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
7 Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
Nsisie ma onyansafoɔ dane ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe akoma.
8 Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
Asɛm awieeɛ yɛ sene ne ahyɛaseɛ, na ntoboaseɛ yɛ sene ahantan.
9 Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
Mma wʼakoma nsɔre ntɛm ntɛm na abufuo da wo nso sɛ ɔkwasea.
10 Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
Ɛnka sɛ, “Adɛn enti na tete nna no yɛ sene ɛnnɛ mmerɛ yi?” Onyansafoɔ mmisa nsɛm sei.
11 Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
Nimdeɛ, sɛ agyapadeɛ no, yɛ adepa. Ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma wɔn a wɔhunu owia.
12 For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ yɛ banbɔ no saa ara na sika nso teɛ, nanso nhunumu ho adeɛ a ɛyɛ ne sɛ: deɛ ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
13 Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
Dwene deɛ Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hwan na ɔbɛtumi atene deɛ wayɛ ama akyea?
14 On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye; nanso mmere bɔne mu, hunu sɛ Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa. Ɛno enti onipa ntumi nhunu deɛ ɛbɛto no daakye.
15 Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
Me nkwa nna a ɛyɛ ahuhudeɛ yi mu, mahunu nneɛma mmienu: Ɔteneneeni a ɔwu wɔ ne tenenee mu, ne omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumuyɛ mu.
16 Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
Ɛnyɛ wo ho ɔteneneeni ntra so, na ɛnyɛ wo ho onyansafoɔ mmoro so, adɛn enti na wosɛe wo ho?
17 On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?
Ɛnyɛ omumuyɛfoɔ ntra so, na ɛnyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wowu ansa na wo berɛ aso?
18 You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛsɔ baako mu nanso nnyaa deɛ aka no mu. Onipa a ɔsuro Onyankopɔn no bɛsi adeyɛ mmorosoɔ biara ano.
19 Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
Nimdeɛ ma onyansafoɔ baako tumi bebree sene kuropɔn mu sodifoɔ edu.
20 There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
Onipa teneneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21 Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
Mfa deɛ nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a, wobɛte sɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ redome wo,
22 for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
na wonim wɔ wʼakoma sɛ, wo nso woadome nkurɔfoɔ mpɛn bebree.
23 I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
Mede nimdeɛ asɔ yeinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekaa sɛ, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafoɔ” nanso na yei boro me so.
24 Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ teɛ biara, ɛwɔ akyiri, na emu dɔ, hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahwehwɛ ahunu?
25 I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte aseɛ, ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ na mate amumuyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase ne nkwaseasɛm mu abɔdamsɛm nso.
26 I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
Mahunu deɛ ɛyɛ nwono sene owuo ɔbaa a ɔyɛ afidie; nʼakoma yɛ nnaadaa na ne nsa yɛ mpɔkyerɛ. Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho nanso ɔbɔnefoɔ deɛ, ɔbɛtɔ nʼafidie mu.
27 This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no sɛ, “Hwɛ yei ne deɛ mahwehwɛ ahunu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mehunu sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ.
28 Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
Mereyɛ nhwehwɛ mu na menhunu hwee no, mehunuu ɔbarima teneneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhunu ɔbaa teneneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29 But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
Yei nko ara na mahunu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adasamma teneneefoɔ, nanso nnipa adane wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛeɛ foforɔ.”
