Ecclesiastes 8
1 Who can compare to the truly wise? Who knows how to interpret things? If you have wisdom your face lights up, and your stern look is softened.
Hena na ɔte sɛ onyansafo? Hena na onim sɛnea nneɛma te? Nimdeɛ te nnipa anim, na ɛbrɛ ne denyɛ ase.
2 My advice is to do what the king says, since that's what you promised God.
Mise: Di ɔhene mmaransɛm so, efisɛ wokaa ntam wɔ Onyankopɔn anim.
3 Don't be quick to walk out on the king without thinking what you're doing, and don't get involved with those who plot against him, for the king can do what he pleases.
Mpɛ ntɛm mfi ɔhene anim. Nnyina mu mma obi asɛm a ɛnyɛ dɛ na onii no anyɛ nea ɔpɛ biara.
4 The king's orders have supreme authority—who is going to question him, saying, “What are you doing?”
Esiane sɛ ɔhene asɛm boro obiara de so nti, hena na obetumi aka akyerɛ no se: “Dɛn na woreyɛ yi?”
5 Those who follow his commands will not be involved in doing evil. Wise people think, recognizing there's a right time, and a right way.
Nea odi ne mmaransɛm so no renkɔ ɔhaw biara mu, na nyansa koma behu bere a ɛsɛ, ne ne kwan.
6 For there's a right time and a right way for everything, even when things are going badly for you.
Nneyɛe biara wɔ ne bere a ɛfata ne kwan a wɔfa so yɛ, nanso onipa haw hyɛ no so bebree.
7 No one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
Esiane sɛ obiara nnim daakye asɛm nti, hena na obetumi akyerɛ ɔfoforo nea ɛreba?
8 No one can hold onto the breath of life; no one can prevent the day when they die. There's no way of escaping that battle, and the wicked won't be saved by their wickedness!
Obiara nni mframa so tumi na waboa ano; saa ara na obiara nni ne wuda so tumi. Sɛ wonnyaa obiara wɔ ɔko bere mu no, saa ara na amumɔyɛ rennyaa wɔn a wodi amumɔyɛsɛm no.
9 I examined all these things, and thought about all that happens here on earth, and the damage that's caused when people dominate others.
Mihuu eyinom nyinaa bere a medwenee nneɛma a wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase no ho. Bere bi wɔ hɔ a onipa hyɛ afoforo so ma ɛdan ɔhaw ma no.
10 Yes, I have seen wicked people buried with great honor. They used to go to the holy place, and were praised in the very city where they did their evil. This is hard to understand!
Bio, mihuu sɛ wɔasie amumɔyɛfo, wɔn a anka wodi akɔneaba wɔ kronkronbea hɔ de gye nkamfo wɔ kuropɔn a wɔyɛɛ saa no mu. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
11 When people are not punished quickly for their crimes they are even more determined to do wrong.
Sɛ bɔne bi ho asotwe amma ntɛm a, nnipa dwene nhyehyɛe a wɔde yɛ bɔne ho.
12 Even though a sinner may do wrong a hundred times, and live a long life, I'm convinced that those who do what God says will be better off.
Ɛwɔ mu sɛ omumɔyɛfo bi yɛ bɔne mpɛn ɔha nanso ɔtena ase kyɛ, nanso minim sɛ ebesi wɔn a wosuro Onyankopɔn no yiye, wɔn a wodi Onyankopɔn ni no.
13 In fact, the wicked will not live long, passing like a shadow, because they refuse to follow God.
Nanso esiane sɛ amumɔyɛfo nsuro Onyankopɔn nti, ɛrensi wɔn yiye na wɔn nna renware sɛ sunsuma.
14 Another thing that is hard to understand is this: good people are treated as the wicked should be, and the wicked are treated as good people should be. As I say, this is difficult to comprehend!
Ade bi nso a ɛyɛ ahuhude a esi wɔ asase so, ɛne sɛ, atreneefo bi nya akatua a ɛfata amumɔyɛfo, na amumɔyɛfo bi nya akatua a ɛfata atreneefo. Eyi nso, mise ɛyɛ ahuhude.
15 So I recommend enjoying life. There's nothing better for us here on earth than to eat and drink and be happy. Such an attitude will go with us as we work, and as we live our lives that God gives us here on earth.
Enti mekamfo wiase mu anigye, efisɛ biribiara nni owia yi ase a eye ma onipa sen sɛ obedidi, anom ama nʼani agye. Na afei obenya anigye wɔ nʼadwumayɛ mu wɔ nna a Onyankopɔn ama no wɔ owia yi ase nyinaa.
16 When I applied my mind to discovering wisdom and observing everything people do here on earth, I couldn't get any sleep, day or night.
Bere a mepɛ sɛ mɛte nimdeɛ ase ne ɔbrɛ adwuma a onipa yɛ wɔ asase so a ɔnna awia anaa anadwo no,
17 Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.
mihuu nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ nyinaa. Obiara rentumi nte nea ɛkɔ so wɔ owia yi ase no ase. Ne mmɔdemmɔ nyinaa akyi, onipa rentumi nhu nkyerɛase da. Sɛ mpo onyansafo bi ka se onim a, ɔrentumi nte ase yiye da.
