Ecclesiastes 4
1 Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
Bio, mehwɛ mihuu nhyɛso a ɛrekɔ so wɔ owia yi ase: Mihuu wɔn a wɔredi wɔn nya no nusu na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara; tumi no wɔ wɔn nhyɛsofo no nsam na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara.
2 So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
Na mekae se: Awufo a wɔawuwu dedaw no, ani gye sen ateasefo; wɔn a wɔda so wɔ nkwa mu no.
3 However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
Na nea oye sen baanu yi ne nea onnya mmae, nea onnya nhuu bɔne a wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase.
4 Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
Na mihuu sɛ adwumayɛ mu ɔbrɛ ne nea onipa tumi yɛ nyinaa nnyinaso ne sɛ nʼani bere ne yɔnko. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, mmirika a wotu taa mframa.
5 The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
Ɔkwasea bobɔw ne nsa gu ne ho na ɔsɛe ne ho.
6 But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
Nsammua baako a asomdwoe wɔ mu ye sen nsammua abien a ɔbrɛ bata ho; ɛte sɛ nea wotaa mframa.
7 Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
Afei nso mihuu biribi a ɛnka hwee wɔ owia yi ase:
8 There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
Na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ ankonam; onni ɔbabarima anaa onuabarima. Nʼadwumaden amma nʼawie da, nanso nʼani ansɔ nʼahonya. Obisaa ne ho se, “Na hena na merebrɛ ama no, na adɛn nti na mede anigye kame me kra?” Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛyɛ ɔhaw kwa.
9 Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
Baanu ye sen ɔbaakofo, efisɛ wonya wɔn brɛ so mfaso a ɛsɔ ani:
10 For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
Sɛ ɔbaako hwe ase a ne yɔnko betumi aboa no. Nanso onipa a ɔhwe ase a onni ɔboafo no, yɛ mmɔbɔ.
11 If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
Bio, sɛ baanu da bɔ mu a wɔka wɔn ho hyew. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ankonam bɛka ne ho hyew?
12 One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
Ɔbaakofo de, wobetumi aka no ahyɛ nanso baanu tumi pere wɔn ti. Hama a wɔawɔ no mmɛsa no, wontumi ntetew mu ntɛm.
13 It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
Ɔbabun nyansafo a odi hia ye sen ɔhene akwakoraa a ɔyɛ ɔkwasea na ontie kɔkɔbɔ bio.
14 This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
Ebia na ɔbabun no fi afiase na obedii ade anaasɛ wɔwoo no too ohia mu wɔ adehye abusua mu.
15 I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
Mihuu sɛ wɔn a wɔtenaa ase na wɔnantew owia yi ase nyinaa dii ɔbabun no akyi, nea odii ɔhene no ade no.
16 There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
Nnipadɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn dii nʼakyi. Nanso nkyirimma no ani annye ne ho. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
