Ɔsɛnkafo 11
1 Fa wʼawi twa po; na daakye bi wubenya so mfaso.
Cast thy bread upon the waters; for after many days thou shalt find it.
2 Fa hyɛ aguadi ason mu, yiw, nea ɛto so awotwe mu, wunnim atoyerɛnkyɛm a ɛbɛba asase no so.
Give a portion to seven, yea, to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
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.
When the clouds are full of rain, they empty upon the earth; and when a tree falleth to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 Obiara a ɔtwɛn wim nsakrae no rennua, na nea ɔhwɛ omununkum no nso rentwa.
He that watcheth the wind will not sow, and he that gazeth upon the clouds will not 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 thou knowest not the way of the wind, nor how the bones are formed in the womb of her that is with child, so thou canst not know the work of God, who doeth 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.
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand! For thou knowest not whether this shall prosper, or that, or whether both of them shall be alike good.
7 Hann yɛ fɛ; na ɛyɛ aniwa dɛ sɛ ohu owia.
Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold 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.
Yea, though a man live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him think of the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
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, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes! but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into 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.
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy body! for childhood and youth are vanity.
