Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa, na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Eye sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayi ase sen sɛ ɔbɛkɔ aponto ase, efisɛ owu yɛ onipa biara nkrabea na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefo hyɛ eyi nsow.
3 Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart may be gladdened.
Awerɛhow ye sen ɔserew, efisɛ anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔmmɔbɔ de koma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Onyansafo koma wɔ ayi ase, nanso nkwaseafo koma wɔ ahosɛpɛwfo fi.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Eye sɛ wobetie onyansafo animka sen sɛ wobetie nkwaseafo dwom.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity.
Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
7 Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm, na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
10 Say not thou: 'How was it that the former days were better than these?' for it is not out of wisdom that thou inquirest concerning this.
Nka se, “Adɛn nti na tete nna no ye sen nnɛ mmere yi?” Onyansafo mmisa nsɛm sɛɛ.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, yea, a profit to them that see the sun.
Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ, so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
12 For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
Sɛnea nimdeɛ yɛ bammɔ no, saa ara na sika nso te; nanso nhumu ho ade a eye ne sɛ: nea ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
13 Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight, which He hath made crooked?
Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye; nanso mmere bɔne mu, hu sɛ Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa. Ɛno nti onipa rentumi nhu nea ɛbɛto no daakye.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity; there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his evil-doing.
Me nkwanna a ɛyɛ ahuhude yi mu, mahu nneɛma abien: Ɔtreneeni a owu wɔ ne trenee mu, ne omumɔyɛfo a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumɔyɛ mu.
16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise; why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
17 Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish; why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Nyɛ omumɔyɛfo ntra so, na nyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu ansa na wo bere aso.
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of the one; yea, also from the other withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God shall discharge himself of them all.
Eye sɛ wubeso baako no mu den nanso nnyaa nea aka no mu. Onipa a osuro Onyankopɔn no besiw nneyɛe mmoroso nyinaa ano.
19 Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
20 For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21 Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee;
Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
22 for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
23 All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.
Mede nimdeɛ asɔ eyinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekae se, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafo” nanso na eyi boro me so.
24 That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
Sɛnea nimdeɛ te biara, ɛwɔ akyiri na emu dɔ, hena na obetumi ahwehwɛ ahu?
25 I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte ase, ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te na mate amumɔyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase, ne nkwaseasɛm mu adammɔsɛm nso.
26 and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Mahu nea ɛyɛ nwene sen owu; ɔbea a ɔyɛ afiri; ne koma yɛ nnaadaa na ne nsa yɛ mpokyerɛ. Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho nanso ɔbɔnefo de ɔbɛtɔ nʼafiri mu.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account;
Ɔsɛnkafo no se, “Hwɛ eyi ne nea mahwehwɛ ahu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mihu sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te,
28 which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
mereyɛ nhwehwɛmu, na minhu hwee no, mihuu ɔbarima treneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhu ɔbea treneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29 Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
