Ɔsɛnkafo 11
1 Fa wʼawi twa po; na daakye bi wubenya so mfaso.
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
2 Fa hyɛ aguadi ason mu, yiw, nea ɛto so awotwe mu, wunnim atoyerɛnkyɛm a ɛbɛba asase no so.
Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.
3 Sɛ nsu ayɛ omununkum mu ma a, ɛtɔ osu gu asase so. Sɛ dua bi bu hwe anafo fam anaa atifi fam a, nea ɛhwee no, ɛhɔ ara na ɛbɛda.
If the clouds are full, they will pour out rain upon the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Obiara a ɔtwɛn wim nsakrae no rennua, na nea ɔhwɛ omununkum no nso rentwa.
He who watches the wind will fail to sow, and he who observes the clouds will fail to reap.
5 Sɛnea wunnim ɔkwan a mframa nam so, anaa sɛnea wɔnwen nipadua wɔ ɔyafunu mu no, saa ara na worentumi nte Onyankopɔn nnwuma ase, ade nyinaa Yɛfo no.
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
6 Dua wʼaba anɔpa, na anwummere nso ma wo nsa nna ho, na wunnim nea ɛbɛyɛ yiye, sɛ eyi anaa eyi, anaasɛ ebia abien no nyinaa bɛyɛ yie.
Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.
7 Hann yɛ fɛ; na ɛyɛ aniwa dɛ sɛ ohu owia.
Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 Mfe dodow a onipa bɛtena nkwa yi mu nyinaa ɛsɛ sɛ onya ahotɔ. Nanso ɛsɛ sɛ ɔkae nnabɔne na ɛbɛdɔɔso. Biribiara a ɛbɛba no yɛ ahuhude.
So if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is futile.
9 Ma wʼani nnye, aberante, bere a woyɛ ɔbabun, ma wo koma mma wo anigye wɔ wo mmerantebere mu. Di nea wo koma pɛ ne nea wʼaniwa hu akyi, nanso hu sɛ eyinom nyinaa ho Onyankopɔn de wo bɛba atemmu mu.
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.
10 Enti yi adwennwen biara fi wo koma mu na tow ɔhaw biara a ɛwɔ wo mu no gu, efisɛ mmeranteyɛ ne ahoɔden yɛ ahuhude.
So banish sorrow from your heart, and cast off pain from your body, for youth and vigor are fleeting.
