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,
Also call to mind your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of difficulty come, and before the years arrive when you say, “I have no pleasure in them,”
2 ansa na owia ne hann, ɔsram ne nsoromma aduru sum, na omununkum asan aba osutɔ akyi.
do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark clouds return after the rain.
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;
That will be the time when the palace guards will tremble, and strong men are bent over, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those who look out of windows no longer see clearly.
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;
That will be the time when the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of grinding stops, when men are startled at the voice of a bird, and the singing of girls' voices fades away.
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.
That will be the time when men become afraid of heights and of dangers along on the road, and when the almond tree blossoms, and when grasshoppers drag themselves along, and when natural desires fail. Then man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go down the streets.
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,
Call to mind your Creator before the silver cord is cut, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the water wheel is broken at the well,
7 na dɔte san kɔ asase a efi mu bae, na honhom no tu kɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔde mae no nkyɛn.
before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 “Ahuhude mu ahuhude” ɔsɛnkafo no na ose. “Biribiara yɛ ahuhude!”
“A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”
9 Ɔsɛnkafo no yɛ onyansafo na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdwenee na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na obubuu mmɛ bebree.
The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated and set in order many proverbs.
10 Ɔsɛnkafo no hwehwɛɛ sɛ obenya nsɛm a ɛfata, na nea ɔkyerɛw no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokware nso.
The Teacher sought to write using vivid, upright words of truth.
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 words of wise people are like goads. Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs, which are taught by one shepherd.
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.
My son, be aware of something more: the making of many books, which has no end and much study brings weariness to the body.
13 Afei ne nyinaa atɔ asom; nsɛm no awiei ni: Suro Onyankopɔn na di nʼahyɛde so, na onipa asɛde nyinaa ni.
The end of the matter after everything has been heard, is that you must fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.
14 Onyankopɔn bebu nneyɛe biara atɛn, nea wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
