Ɔsɛnkafo 6
1 Mahu bɔne foforo bi wɔ owia yi ase a ɛhyɛ nnipa so yiye:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
2 Onyankopɔn ma onipa ahonyade, adenya ne anuonyam sɛnea biribiara a ne koma pɛ no ɛremmɔ no, nanso Onyankopɔn amma no kwan sɛ ɔmfa nnye nʼani, na ɔhɔho mmom na ɔde gye nʼani. Eyi yɛ ahuhude, ɔhaw a ɛyɛ yaw.
a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 Onipa betumi anya mma ɔha na wanyin akyɛ; nanso ne mfe dodow yi akyi no, nʼahonya no amma nʼani annye na ne sie nso anyɛ fɛ a, ɔpɔn ba so wɔ mfaso sen no.
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
4 Ne ba no yɛ ade hunu, sum mu na ɔkɔ, na sum akata ne din so.
for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
5 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wanhu owia na onnim hwee de, nanso obenya ahomegye bebree sen nea saa ɔbarima no benya,
moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
6 mpo sɛ ɔtena ase mfe apem mmɔho na wamfa nʼahonyade annye nʼani a, wɔn nyinaa nkɔ faako ana?
yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
7 Onipa brɛ nyinaa yɛ nʼano ntia, nanso nʼakɔnnɔde mmee no da.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 Na dɛn na onyansafo wɔ de sen ɔkwasea? Sɛ ohiani yɛ nʼakwan yiye wɔ afoforo anim a mfaso bɛn na obenya?
For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
9 Nea aniwa hu no ye sen nea akɔnnɔ kyin hwehwɛ. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Nea ɛwɔ hɔ biara, wɔato din dedaw, na sɛnea onipa te nso, wonim dedaw; onipa biara rentumi ne nea ɔwɔ ahoɔden sen no nnye eyi ho akyinnye.
Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.
11 Nsɛm dɔɔso a, mu ntease sua, na so wɔ mfaso ma onipa ana?
Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 Na hena na onim nea eye ma onipa wɔ ne nkwanna kakraa bi a ɛyɛ ahuhude na ɔfa mu kɔ sɛ sunsuma no mu? Hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ owia yi ase akyerɛ no bere a ɔkɔ no?
For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
