Ecclesiastes 4
1 And I have turned, and I see all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and lo, the tear of the oppressed, and they have no comforter; and at the hand of their oppressors [is] power, and they have no comforter.
Bio, mehwɛ mehunuu nhyɛsoɔ a ɛrekɔ so wɔ owia yi ase: Mehunuu wɔn a wɔredi wɔn nya no nisuo na wɔnni ɔwerɛkyekyefoɔ biara; tumi no wɔ wɔn nhyɛsofoɔ no nsam na wɔnni ɔwerɛkyekyefoɔ biara.
2 And I am praising the dead who have already died above the living who are yet alive.
Na mekaa sɛ: Awufoɔ a wɔawuwu dada no ani gye sene ateasefoɔ; wɔn a wɔda so wɔ nkwa mu no.
3 And better than both of them [is] he who hath not yet been, in that he hath not seen the evil work that hath been done under the sun.
Na deɛ ɔyɛ sene baanu yi ne deɛ ɔnnya mmaeɛ, deɛ ɔnnya nhunuu bɔne a wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase.
4 And I have seen all the labour, and all the benefit of the work, because for it a man is the envy of his neighbour. Even this [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
Na mehunuu sɛ adwumayɛ mu ɔbrɛ ne deɛ onipa tumi yɛ nyinaa nnyinasoɔ ne sɛ, nʼani bere ne yɔnko. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, mmirika a wɔtu taa mframa.
5 The fool is clasping his hands, and eating his own flesh:
Ɔkwasea bobɔ ne nsa gu ne ho na ɔsɛe ne ho.
6 'Better [is] a handful [with] quietness, than two handfuls [with] labour and vexation of spirit.'
Nsa ma baako a asomdwoeɛ wɔ mu yɛ sene nsa ma mmienu a ɔbrɛ bata ho. Ɛte sɛ deɛ wotaa mframa.
7 And I have turned, and I see a vain thing under the sun:
Afei nso mehunuu biribi a ɛnka hwee wɔ owia yi ase:
8 There is one, and there is not a second; even son or brother he hath not, and there is no end to all his labour! His eye also is not satisfied with riches, and [he saith not], 'For whom am I labouring and bereaving my soul of good?' This also is vanity, it is a sad travail.
Na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ ankonam; ɔnni ɔbabarima anaa onuabarima. Nʼadwumaden amma nʼawieeɛ da, nanso nʼani ansɔ nʼahonya. Ɔbisaa ne ho sɛ, “Na hwan na merebrɛ ama no, na adɛn enti na mede anigyeɛ kame me kra?” Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɛyɛ ɔhaw kwa.
9 The two [are] better than the one, in that they have a good reward by their labour.
Baanu yɛ sene ɔbaakofoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ wɔnya wɔn adwumayɛ so mfasoɔ a ɛsɔ ani:
10 For if they fall, the one raiseth up his companion, but woe to the one who falleth and there is not a second to raise him up!
Sɛ ɔbaako hwe ase a ne yɔnko bɛtumi aboa no. Nanso onipa a ɔhwe ase a ɔnni ɔboafoɔ no yɛ mmɔbɔ.
11 Also, if two lie down, then they have heat, but how hath one heat?
Bio, sɛ baanu da bɔ mu a, wɔka wɔn ho hye. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ɔkɔntenkorɔ aka ne ho hye?
12 And if the one strengthen himself, the two stand against him; and the threefold cord is not hastily broken.
Ɔbaakofoɔ deɛ, wɔbɛtumi aka no ahyɛ nanso baanu tumi pere wɔn ti. Homa a wɔawɔ no mmɛsa no, wɔntumi ntete mu ntɛm.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who hath not known to be warned any more.
Ɔbabunu nyansafoɔ a ɔdi hia yɛ sene ɔhene akɔkoraa a ɔyɛ kwasea na ɔntie kɔkɔbɔ bio.
14 For from a house of prisoners he hath come out to reign, for even in his own kingdom he hath been poor.
Ebia na ɔbabunu no firi nneduafie na ɔbɛdii adeɛ anaasɛ wɔwoo no too ohia mu wɔ adehyeɛ abusua mu.
15 I have seen all the living, who are walking under the sun, with the second youth who doth stand in his place;
Mehunuu sɛ wɔn a wɔtenaa ase na wɔnantee owia yi ase nyinaa dii ɔbabunu no akyi, deɛ ɔdii ɔhene no adeɛ no.
16 there is no end to all the people, to all who were before them; also, the latter rejoice not in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Nnipa dɔm a wɔntumi nkane wɔn dii nʼakyi. Nanso nkyirimma no ani annye ne ho. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
