Ɔsɛnkafo 3
1 Biribiara wɔ ne bere, na dwumadi biara a ɛwɔ ɔsoro ase wɔ ne bere.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 Awo wɔ ne bere, na owu wɔ ne bere, ogu wɔ ne bere na otwa nso wɔ ne bere,
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 okum wɔ ne bere na ayaresa wɔ ne bere, obubu wɔ ne bere, na osi nso wɔ ne bere,
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 agyaadwotwa wɔ ne bere, na ɔserew nso wɔ ne bere, awerɛhow wɔ ne bere na asaw wɔ ne bere,
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
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 cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 adehwehwɛ wɔ ne bere na adehwere wɔ ne bere, adekora wɔ ne bere na adetowgu wɔ ne bere,
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast 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 to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 ɔdɔ wɔ ne bere na ɔtan wɔ ne bere, ɔko wɔ ne bere na asomdwoe wɔ ne bere.
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 Mfaso bɛn na odwumayɛni nya fi nʼadwumaden mu?
What profit has he who works in that in which he labours?
10 Mahu adesoa a Onyankopɔn de ato nnipa so.
I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
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 beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 Minim sɛ biribiara nni hɔ a eye ma nnipa kyɛn sɛ wobegye wɔn ani na wɔayɛ nea eye bere a wɔte ase.
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13 Sɛ obiara bedidi na wanom na wanya anigye wɔ ne dwumadi nyinaa mu, eyi ne Onyankopɔn akyɛde.
Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, is the gift of 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 know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should 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.
That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
16 Na mihuu biribi foforo wɔ owia yi ase sɛ: Amumɔyɛsɛm wɔ nea atemmu wɔ, atɛntreneebea no, amumɔyɛsɛm wɔ hɔ.
Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness 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 judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 Afei medwenee se, “Nnipa de, Onyankopɔn sɔ wɔn hwɛ ma wohu sɛ wɔte sɛ mmoa.
I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
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.
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
20 Wɔn nyinaa kɔ faako; wɔn nyinaa fi dɔte mu na wɔsan kɔ dɔte mu.
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Hena na onim sɛ onipa honhom foro soro na aboa de sian kɔ asase mu ana?”
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward 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?
Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
