Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
Sɛnea nwansena funu ma aduhuam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakraa bi boro nimdeɛ ne anuonyam so no.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Onyansafo koma sian kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea koma kɔ benkum.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɔkwan so a, wohu sɛ onnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hu sɛ wagyimi.
4 If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
Sɛ sodifo bo fuw wo a, nnyaw wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboase dwudwo mfomso kɛse ano.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahu wɔ owia yi ase ɛyɛ mfomso bi a efi sodifo:
6 He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
Wɔma nkwaseafo dibea a ɛkorɔn, na asikafo nya nea ɛwɔ fam.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Mahu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
8 Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
Obiara a otu amoa no betumi atɔ mu; na nea obubu ɔfasu no, ɔwɔ betumi aka no.
9 Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Obiara a ɔpae abo no, abo no betumi apira no; na nea ɔpae nnua no betumi anya mu akwanhyia.
10 If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
Sɛ abonnua ano kum na wɔansew ano a ebehia ahoɔden bebree, nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdi bɛba.
11 If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwudwo no a nea odwudwo ɔwɔ no rennya so mfaso biara.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Onyansafo anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Mfiase no, wɔn nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; awiei no, ɛyɛ adammɔ atirimɔdensɛm,
14 And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim nea ɛreba, hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ obi akyi akyerɛ no?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma onhu ɔkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo hene yɛ ɔsomfo na wo mmapɔmma to pon anɔpa.
17 Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo hene yɛ ɔdehye na wo mmapɔmma didi bere a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden na ɛnyɛ nsabow.
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a ne mpuran yɛ mmerɛw; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a ne fi nwini.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
Wɔto pon ma serew, na nsa ma onipa ahosɛpɛw, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safe.
20 Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
Wʼadwene mu mpo nkasa ntia ɔhene, na wo pia mu nso nnome ɔdefo, efisɛ anomaa a ɔnam wim de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ, na anomaa a otu bɛkɔ akɔka.
