Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
Edin pa yɛ sene aduhwam papa, na owuda yɛ sene 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.
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 by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Awerɛhoɔ yɛ sene ɔsereɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔ mmɔbɔ de akoma 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.
Onyansafoɔ akoma wɔ ayie ase, nanso nkwaseafoɔ akoma wɔ ahosɛpɛfoɔ fie.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛtie onyansafoɔ animka sene sɛ wɔbɛtie nkwaseafoɔ dwom.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Sɛdeɛ nkasɛɛ turituri wɔ ɛsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafoɔ sereɛ teɛ. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Nsisie ma onyansafoɔ dane ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe akoma.
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 awieeɛ yɛ sene ne ahyɛaseɛ, na ntoboaseɛ yɛ sene ahantan.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Mma wʼakoma nsɔre ntɛm ntɛm na abufuo da wo nso sɛ ɔkwasea.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Ɛnka sɛ, “Adɛn enti na tete nna no yɛ sene ɛnnɛ mmerɛ yi?” Onyansafoɔ mmisa nsɛm sei.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Nimdeɛ, sɛ agyapadeɛ no, yɛ adepa. Ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma wɔn a wɔhunu owia.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
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 Consider the work of Elohim: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
Dwene deɛ Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hwan na ɔbɛtumi atene deɛ wayɛ ama akyea?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Elohim also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
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 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
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 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Ɛnyɛ wo ho ɔteneneeni ntra so, na ɛnyɛ wo ho onyansafoɔ mmoro so, adɛn enti na wosɛe wo ho?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Ɛnyɛ omumuyɛfoɔ ntra so, na ɛnyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wowu ansa na wo berɛ aso?
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth Elohim shall come forth of them all.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛsɔ baako mu nanso nnyaa deɛ aka no mu. Onipa a ɔsuro Onyankopɔn no bɛsi adeyɛ mmorosoɔ biara ano.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Nimdeɛ ma onyansafoɔ baako tumi bebree sene kuropɔn mu sodifoɔ edu.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Onipa teneneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Mfa deɛ nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a, wobɛte sɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ redome wo,
22 For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
na wonim wɔ wʼakoma sɛ, wo nso woadome nkurɔfoɔ mpɛn bebree.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Mede nimdeɛ asɔ yeinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekaa sɛ, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafoɔ” nanso na yei boro me so.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ teɛ biara, ɛwɔ akyiri, na emu dɔ, hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahwehwɛ ahunu?
25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
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 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth Elohim shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
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 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no sɛ, “Hwɛ yei ne deɛ mahwehwɛ ahunu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mehunu sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ.
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Mereyɛ nhwehwɛ mu na menhunu hwee no, mehunuu ɔbarima teneneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhunu ɔbaa teneneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that Elohim hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Yei nko ara na mahunu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adasamma teneneefoɔ, nanso nnipa adane wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛeɛ foforɔ.”
