Ecclesiastes 10
1 Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
Sɛdeɛ nwansena funu ma aduhwam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakra boro nimdeɛ ne animuonyam so.
2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
Onyansafoɔ akoma kom kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea akoma kɔ benkum.
3 Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɛkwan so a wɔhunu sɛ ɔnnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hunu sɛ wagyimi.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.
Sɛ sodifoɔ bo fu wo a, nnya wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboaseɛ dwodwo mfomsoɔ kɛseɛ ano.
5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahunu wɔ owia yi ase. Ɛyɛ mfomsoɔ bi a ɛfiri sodifoɔ:
6 The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
Wɔma nkwaseafoɔ diberɛ a ɛkorɔn, na asikafoɔ nya deɛ ɛwɔ fam.
7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
Mahunu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
8 He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
Obiara a ɔtu amena no bɛtumi atɔ mu; na deɛ ɔbubu ɔfasuo no, ɔwɔ bɛtumi aka no.
9 He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
Obiara a ɔpae aboɔ no, aboɔ no bɛtumi apira no; na deɛ ɔpae nnua no bɛtumi anya mu akwanhyia.
10 If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
Sɛ abonnua ano akum na wɔanse ano a, ɛbɛhia ahoɔden bebree nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdie bɛba.
11 If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwodwo no a deɛ ɔdwodwo ɔwɔ no rennya ho mfasoɔ biara.
12 The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
Onyansafoɔ anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ asɛeɛ mu.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
Ahyɛaseɛ no, ne nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; na ɛkɔwie abɔdamsɛm bɔne,
14 A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim deɛ ɛreba, hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka deɛ ɛbɛsi nʼakyi akyerɛ no?
15 The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma ɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
16 Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo ɔhene yɛ akwa na wo mmapɔmma to ɛpono anɔpa.
17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo ɔhene yɛ ɔdehyeɛ na wo mmapɔmma didi ɛberɛ a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden, na ɛnyɛ nsãborɔ.
18 By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a, ne mpunan yɛ mmerɛ; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a, ne fie nwunu.
19 Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
Wɔto ɛpono ma sereɛ, na nsã ma onipa ahosɛpɛ, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safoa.
20 Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
Wʼadwene mu mpo, nkasa ntia ɔhene, na wowɔ piam nso a, nnome osikani, ɛfiri sɛ anomaa a ɔnam ewiem de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ, na anomaa a otuo bɛkɔ akɔka.
