Ɔsɛnkafo 12
1 Kae wo Bɔfo wɔ wo mmerantebere mu, ansa na nnabɔne no aba na mfe a wobɛka se, “Minni mu anigye biara” no reba,
Remember nowe thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whiles the euill daies come not, nor the yeeres approche, wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them:
2 ansa na owia ne hann, ɔsram ne nsoromma aduru sum, na omununkum asan aba osutɔ akyi.
Whiles the sunne is not darke, nor ye light, nor the moone, nor the starres, nor the cloudes returne after the raine:
3 Bere a ofi no awɛmfo ho popo, na mmarima ahoɔdenfo akom, bere a awiyamfo agyae adwumayɛ, sɛ wosua nti na wɔn a wɔhwɛ pema mu no ani so ayɛ kusuu;
When the keepers of ye house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow them selues, and the grinders shall cease, because they are few, and they waxe darke that looke out by ye windowes:
4 bere a wɔatoto abɔnten no apon mu na awiyambea nnyigyei ano abrɛ ase; bere a nnipa te nnomaa su na wɔanyan, nanso wɔn nnwonto ano abrɛ ase;
And the doores shall be shut without by the base sound of the grinding, and he shall rise vp at the voice of the birde: and all the daughters of singing shall be abased.
5 bere a nnipa suro sorokɔ ne mmɔnten so amanenyasɛm; bere a “ɔsonkoran” dua begu nhwiren na tɛwtɛw twe ne ho kɔ no na nkatede ho adwudwo. Afei onipa kɔ ne daa home mu na agyaadwotwafo tu gu mmɔnten so.
Also they shalbe afraide of the hie thing, and feare shalbe in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grassehopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driuen away: for man goeth to the house of his age, and the mourners goe about in the streete.
6 Kae no, ansa na dwetɛ hama no atew, anaasɛ sikakɔkɔɔ asanka no abɔ; ansa na sukuruwa no abobɔ wɔ asuten ho, anaasɛ asubura so nkyimii abubu,
Whiles the siluer coarde is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheele broken at the cisterne:
7 na dɔte san kɔ asase a efi mu bae, na honhom no tu kɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔde mae no nkyɛn.
And dust returne to the earth as it was, and the spirit returne to God that gaue it.
8 “Ahuhude mu ahuhude” ɔsɛnkafo no na ose. “Biribiara yɛ ahuhude!”
Vanitie of vanities, saieth the Preacher, all is vanitie.
9 Ɔsɛnkafo no yɛ onyansafo na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdwenee na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na obubuu mmɛ bebree.
And the more wise the Preacher was, the more he taught the people knowledge, and caused them to heare, and searched foorth, and prepared many parables.
10 Ɔsɛnkafo no hwehwɛɛ sɛ obenya nsɛm a ɛfata, na nea ɔkyerɛw no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokware nso.
The Preacher sought to finde out pleasant wordes, and an vpright writing, euen the wordes of trueth.
11 Anyansafo nsɛm te sɛ nantwikafo mpeaw. Wɔn nsɛm a wɔaboa ano te sɛ nnadewa a wɔde abobɔ dua mu ma akɔ mu yiye. Saa nsɛm yi nyinaa fi Oguanhwɛfo baako nkyɛn.
The wordes of the wise are like goads, and like nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies, which are giuen by one pastour.
12 Mebɔ wo kɔkɔ sɛ twe wo ho fi biribiara a ɛka eyinom ho, me babarima. Nhoma bebrebe nkyerɛw nni awiei, na ne sua pii no ma honam yɛ mmerɛw.
And of other things beside these, my sone, take thou heede: for there is none ende in making many bookes, and much reading is a wearines of the flesh.
13 Afei ne nyinaa atɔ asom; nsɛm no awiei ni: Suro Onyankopɔn na di nʼahyɛde so, na onipa asɛde nyinaa ni.
Let vs heare the end of all: feare God and keepe his commandements: for this is the whole duetie of man.
14 Onyankopɔn bebu nneyɛe biara atɛn, nea wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.
For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement, with euery secret thing, whether it be good or euill.
