Ɔsɛnkafo 2
1 Mekaa wɔ me koma mu se, “Afei bra, mede anigye bɛsɔ wo ahwɛ na yɛahu nea eye.” Nanso ankosi hwee.
I said in my heart, “Come, now, I will try thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!” But, lo! this also was vanity.
2 Mekae se, “Ɔserew yɛ nkwaseade. Na dɛn na anigye tumi yɛ?”
I said of laughter, “It is mad;” and of mirth, “What availeth it?”
3 Mepɛɛ sɛ mihu nea eye pa ara ma yɛn wɔ bere tiaa a yɛwɔ wɔ asase yi so no. Enti meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede nsa bɛsɛpɛw me ho na mahwehwɛ, ahu nkwaseasɛm nkyerɛase, a na nyansa da so bɔ mʼankasa mʼadwene ho ban.
I thought in my heart to strengthen my body with wine, and, while my heart cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was good for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
4 Mede me nsa hyɛɛ nnwuma akɛse ase; misisii adan yɛɛ bobe nturo.
I made me great works. I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 Meyɛɛ nturo ne ahomegyebea na miduaduaa nnuaba ahorow bebree wɔ mu.
I made me gardens and parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every kind.
6 Misisii nsukorae a mɛtwe nsu afi mu, de agugu nnua a ɛrenyin no so.
I made me pools of water, with which to water the grove shooting up trees.
7 Metɔɔ nkoa ne mfenaa, na minyaa ebinom nso a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ me fi. Afei nso, minyaa anantwi ne nguan bebree sen obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem.
I got me men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 Mepɛɛ dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, gyigyee ahemfo ne amantam no ademude kaa ho. Mefaa mmarima ne mmea nnwontofo, pɛɛ mmea atenae nso; nea ɛyɛ ɔbarima koma anigyede biara.
I heaped me up also silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.
9 Migyee din sen obiara a wadi mʼanim wɔ Yerusalem. Eyinom nyinaa mu no me nimdeɛ kɔɔ so yɛɛ adwuma.
So I became greater than all that were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.
10 Nea mʼani hwehwɛe biara mamfa ankame no; mansiw me koma anigye ho kwan. Me koma ani gyee me nnwuma nyinaa ho, na eyi yɛ mʼadwumayɛ so akatua.
And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by means of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.
11 Nanso sɛ mehwɛ nea me nsa ayɛ nyinaa ne nea mabrɛ anya a, ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛnea wotu mmirika taa mframa mannya mfaso biara wɔ owia yi ase.
Then I looked upon all the works which my hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ nimdeɛ, adammɔsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm so. Dɛn bio na nea wadi ɔhene ade betumi ayɛ asen nea wɔayɛ dedaw no?
Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 Mihuu sɛ nimdeɛ ye sen nkwaseasɛm, sɛnea hann yɛ sen sum no.
I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 Onyansafo ani wɔ ne tirim, na ɔkwasea de, ɔnantew sum mu; nanso mihuu sɛ wɔn nyinaa nkrabea yɛ pɛ.
The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Afei misusuw wɔ me koma mu se, “Ɔkwasea nkrabea bɛto me nso. Enti sɛ mihu nyansa a mfaso bɛn na minya?” Mekaa wɔ me koma mu se, “Eyi nso nka hwee.”
Then I said in my heart, “As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth to me. Why, then, became I wiser than others?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
16 Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, onyansafo nso, wɔrenkae no daa; nna a ɛreba no mu, wɔrenkae wɔn baanu no. Te sɛ ɔkwasea no, onyansafo nso bewu!
For there is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever; for in the days to come shall all have long been forgotten; and, alas! the wise man dieth, as well as the fool.
17 Ɛno nti asetena fonoo me, na adwuma a yɛyɛ wɔ owia yi ase no haw me. Ne nyinaa yɛ ahuhude, te sɛnea wotu mmirika taa mframa.
Therefore I hated life, because what is done under the sun appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after wind.
18 Mikyii nea mayɛ adwuma apɛ nyinaa wɔ owia yi ase, efisɛ ɛsɛ sɛ migyaw hɔ ma nea obedi mʼade.
Yea, I hated all my labor which I had performed under the sun, because I must leave it to the man that shall be after me.
19 Na hena na onim sɛ onipa ko no bɛyɛ onyansafo anaa ɔkwasea? Nanso nea mabiri me mogya ani apɛ wɔ owia yi ase nyinaa bɛkɔ ne nsam. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he be lord of all the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Enti mepaa abaw wɔ owia yi ase adwumaden ho.
Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself under the sun.
21 Na onipa befi ne nimdeɛ, nyansa ne adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ mu ayɛ nʼasɛde, na afei ɛsɛ sɛ ogyaw nʼadwumayɛ so aba ma obi a ɔnyɛɛ adwuma biara. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, na ɛhaw adwene.
For there is a man whose labor has been with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who hath not labored for it must he leave it as his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Dɛn na onipa nya fi ne brɛ ne dadwen a ɔde yɛ adwuma wɔ owia yi ase mu?
For what hath man of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
23 Ne nkwanna nyinaa, nʼadwumayɛ yɛ ɔyaw ne ɔhaw; anadwo mpo nʼadwene yɛ adwuma. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
For all his days are grief, and his occupation trouble; even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Biribiara nsen sɛ onipa bedidi na wanom na wanya ahotɔ wɔ adwumayɛ mu. Eyi nso mihuu sɛ efi Onyankopɔn,
There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. But this, as I have seen, cometh from the hand of God.
25 efisɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno a anka hena na obetumi adidi anaasɛ obenya ahotɔ?
For who can eat, or hasten thereunto more than I?
26 Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no, ɔma no nimdeɛ, nyansa ne anigye, nanso omumɔyɛfo de, ɔma ɔboaboa ahonyade ano ma nea ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, sɛnea wɔde mmirikatu taa mframa no.
For to a man who is good in his sight God giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he giveth the wearisome business of gathering and heaping up, to give it to him who is good before God. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.
