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 also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, 'I have no pleasure in them.'
2 ansa na owia ne hann, ɔsram ne nsoromma aduru sum, na omununkum asan aba osutɔ akyi.
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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;
In the day that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
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,
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel 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.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
8 “Ahuhude mu ahuhude” ɔsɛnkafo no na ose. “Biribiara yɛ ahuhude!”
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 Ɔsɛnkafo no yɛ onyansafo na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdwenee na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na obubuu mmɛ bebree.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
10 Ɔsɛnkafo no hwehwɛɛ sɛ obenya nsɛm a ɛfata, na nea ɔkyerɛw no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokware nso.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the 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.
Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given 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.
And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
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 whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 Onyankopɔn bebu nneyɛe biara atɛn, nea wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.
For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
