Ɔsɛnkafo 3
1 Biribiara wɔ ne bere, na dwumadi biara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase wɔ ne bere.
For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.
2 Awo wɔ ne bere, na owu wɔ ne bere, ogu wɔ ne bere na otwa nso wɔ ne bere,
A time for birth and a time for death; a time for planting and a time for uprooting;
3 okum wɔ ne bere na ayaresa wɔ ne bere, obubu wɔ ne bere, na osi nso wɔ ne bere,
A time to put to death and a time to make well; a time for pulling down and a time for building up;
4 agyaadwotwa wɔ ne bere, na ɔserew nso wɔ ne bere, awerɛhow wɔ ne bere na asaw wɔ ne bere,
A time for weeping and a time for laughing; a time for sorrow and a time for dancing;
5 abo hwete wɔ ne bere na abo anoboa wɔ ne bere, atuuyɛ wɔ ne bere na ne ntetewmudi nso wɔ ne bere,
A time to take stones away and a time to get stones together; a time for kissing and a time to keep from kissing;
6 adehwehwɛ wɔ ne bere na adehwere wɔ ne bere, adekora wɔ ne bere na adetowgu wɔ ne bere,
A time for search and a time for loss; a time to keep and a time to give away;
7 ade mu sunsuane wɔ ne bere na ne pempam wɔ ne bere, kommyɛ wɔ ne bere na kasa wɔ ne bere,
A time for undoing and a time for stitching; a time for keeping quiet and a time for talk;
8 ɔdɔ wɔ ne bere na ɔtan wɔ ne bere, ɔko wɔ ne bere na asomdwoe wɔ ne bere.
A time for love and a time for hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
9 Mfaso bɛn na odwumayɛni nya fi nʼadwumaden mu?
What profit has the worker in the work which he does?
10 Mahu adesoa a Onyankopɔn de ato nnipa so.
I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
11 Wayɛ biribiara fɛfɛ wɔ ne bere mu. Ɔde nkwa a ɛnsa da ahyɛ nnipa koma mu, nanso wontumi nte nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ fi mfiase kosi awiei no ase.
He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.
12 Minim sɛ biribiara nni hɔ a eye ma nnipa kyɛn sɛ wobegye wɔn ani na wɔayɛ nea eye bere a wɔte ase.
I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.
13 Sɛ obiara bedidi na wanom na wanya anigye wɔ ne dwumadi nyinaa mu, eyi ne Onyankopɔn akyɛde.
And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
14 Minim sɛ biribiara a Onyankopɔn yɛ no bɛtena hɔ daa, wɔrentumi mfa biribi nka ho na wɔrentumi nyi biribi mfi mu. Onyankopɔn yɛ eyi sɛnea nnipa de nidi bɛma no.
I am certain that whatever God does will be for ever. No addition may be made to it, nothing may be taken from it; and God has done it so that man may be in fear before him.
15 Biribiara a ɛwɔ hɔ nnɛ no, aba pɛn, na nea ɛbɛba no nso aba dedaw; na Onyankopɔn bɛfrɛ nea asi dedaw no ama akontaabu.
Whatever is has been before, and what is to be is now; because God makes search for the things which are past.
16 Na mihuu biribi foforo wɔ owia yi ase sɛ: Amumɔyɛsɛm wɔ nea atemmu wɔ, atɛntreneebea no, amumɔyɛsɛm wɔ hɔ.
And again, I saw under the sun, in the place of the judges, that evil was there; and in the place of righteousness, that evil was there.
17 Medwenee wɔ me koma mu se, “Onyankopɔn bebu atreneefo ne amumɔyɛfo nyinaa atɛn, efisɛ adwuma biara benya ne bere, nneyɛe biara ne ne bere.”
I said in my heart, God will be judge of the good and of the bad; because a time for every purpose and for every work has been fixed by him.
18 Afei medwenee se, “Nnipa de, Onyankopɔn sɔ wɔn hwɛ ma wohu sɛ wɔte sɛ mmoa.
I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.
19 Onipa nkrabea te sɛ mmoa de na ɛda hɔ ma wɔn nyinaa. Sɛnea ɔbaako wu no, saa ara na ɔfoforo nso wu. Wɔn nyinaa wɔ ɔhome baako; onipa nni biribi a ɔde kyɛn aboa. Biribiara yɛ ahuhude.
Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
20 Wɔn nyinaa kɔ faako; wɔn nyinaa fi dɔte mu na wɔsan kɔ dɔte mu.
All go to one place, all are of the dust, and all will be turned to dust again.
21 Hena na onim sɛ onipa honhom foro soro na aboa de sian kɔ asase mu ana?”
Who is certain that the spirit of the sons of men goes up to heaven, or that the spirit of the beasts goes down to the earth?
22 Enti mihuu sɛ biribiara nni hɔ a eye ma onipa kyɛn sɛ nʼani bɛka nʼadwuma ho, efisɛ ɛno ne ne kyɛfa. Na hena na obetumi de no asan aba sɛ ɔmmɛhwɛ nea ebesi ne wu nʼakyi?
So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work — because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?
