Ɔsɛnkafo 5
1 Sɛ wokɔ Onyankopɔn fi a, hwɛ wʼanammɔntu yiye. Bɛn no na tie no sen sɛ wobɛbɔ nkwaseafo afɔre, wɔn a wonnim mfomso a wɔyɛ no.
Look well to thy feet, when thou goest to the house of God, and draw nigh to hear, rather than to offer sacrifice as fools. For they consider not that they do evil.
2 Mpɛ ntɛm nkasa. Mpere wo ho wɔ wo koma mu sɛ wobɛka asɛm bi wɔ Onyankopɔn anim. Onyankopɔn te ɔsoro na wo de, wowɔ asase so, enti ma wo nsɛm nyɛ kakraa bi.
Be not hasty with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be swift to utter any thing before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. Therefore let thy words be few.
3 Adaeso fi adwennwen bebree mu ba, na nsɛm dodow da adi wɔ ɔkwasea kasa mu.
For a dream cometh with much bustle, and a fool's voice with a multitude of words.
4 Sɛ wohyɛ Onyankopɔn bɔ a, ntwentwɛn wo nan ase wɔ ho. Onni anigye wɔ nkwaseafo mu; enti di wo bɔhyɛ so.
When thou vowest a vow to God, delay not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools. Pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Sɛ woanhyɛ bɔ koraa a eye sen sɛ wobɛhyɛ bɔ na wunni so.
Better is it that thou shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
6 Mma wʼano mfa wo nkɔ bɔne mu. Nyi wʼano nkyerɛ asɔredan mu somfo se, “Me bɔhyɛ no yɛ mfomso.” Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn bo fuw nea woka na ɔsɛe wo nsa ano adwuma?
Suffer not thy mouth to bring punishment on thy flesh, and say not before the angel, “It was a mistake.” Wherefore should God be angry on account of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?
7 Adaeso ne nsɛnkeka bebree nka hwee. Enti suro Onyankopɔn.
For in a multitude of dreams is a multitude of vanities; so also in a multitude of words; but fear thou God!
8 Sɛ wuhu ohiani a wɔhyɛ ne so wɔ ɔmansin bi mu, na atɛntrenee ne ahofadi abɔ no a, mma eyinom nyɛ wo nwonwa, efisɛ nea ɔso sen no hwɛ no so, na nea ɔso sen wɔn baanu no nso hwɛ wɔn so.
If thou seest oppression of the poor, and justice and equity perverted in a province, be not alarmed at the matter. For over the high there is a higher, who watcheth, and there is one higher than they all.
9 Wɔn nyinaa fa asase no so siade; na ɔhene no ankasa nya mfuw no so mfaso.
An advantage to a land in all respects is a king over cultivated ground.
10 Nea nʼani bere sika no nnya nea ɛdɔɔso da; na nea ɔpɛ ahonyade dodow no ani nsɔ nea onya. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; and he that loveth riches shall have no profit from them. This also is vanity.
11 Adetɔnnne bu so a, saa ara na atɔfo no nso dɔɔso. Na mfaso bɛn na nea ɛwɔ no no nya sen sɛ ɔde nʼani bɛhwɛ?
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage hath the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?
12 Ɔpaani da ma nʼani kum, sɛ wadidi amee, anaasɛ wammee, nanso ɔdefo ahonya dodow nti ontumi nna.
Sweet is the sleep of a laboring man, whether he have eaten little or much; but the repletion of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
13 Mahu bɔne kɛse wɔ owia yi ase: wɔde ahode sie de haw ne wuranom,
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, — riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt.
14 anaasɛ ahode fa atoyerɛnkyɛm bi so hwere sɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wonya mma a wɔremmɛto hwee mfa.
For those riches perish by some calamity, and, if he have a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 Adagyaw na onipa de fi ne na yafunu mu bae, na sɛnea ɔbae no, saa ara na ɔbɛkɔ. Ɔremfa nʼadwumayɛ so mfaso biara a obetumi akita wɔ ne nsa mu no nkɔ.
As he came forth from his mother's womb naked, so shall he go away again, as he came, and shall take away nothing of his labor which he may carry in his hand.
16 Eyi nso yɛ ɔhaw kɛse: Sɛnea onipa ba no, saa ara na ɔkɔ, na mfaso bɛn na onya wɔ bere a ɔyɛ adwuma ma mframa?
This is also a sore evil, that, in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit is there to him who toileth for wind?
17 Ne nna nyinaa mu no, odidi a nʼanom nyɛ no dɛ, efisɛ abawpa, ateetee ne abufuw wɔ no so.
Also all his days he ate in darkness, and had much grief and anxiety and vexation.
18 Afei mihuu sɛ eye ma onipa sɛ obedidi na wanom na wama nʼani agye nʼadwumaden ho wɔ owia yi ase, wɔ mmere kakra a Onyankopɔn de ama no yi mu, efisɛ eyi ne ne kyɛfa.
Behold, what I have seen is, that it is good and proper for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor which he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him; for it is his portion.
19 Nea ɛka ho ne sɛ, sɛ Onyankopɔn ma onipa bi ahonyade ne adenya, na onya ahotɔ, de anigye yɛ nʼadwuma, na ohu sɛ ne kyɛfa ne no a, ɔnkae sɛ ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn akyɛde.
To whatever man also God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him to enjoy them, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20 Ɔntaa ntena ase nnwen ne nkwanna ho, efisɛ Onyankopɔn de koma mu anigye ama no.
For he will not much remember the days of his life; for God answereth him with the joy of his heart.
