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 common among 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 has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats 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 brought forth an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that 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 he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wanhu owia na onnim hwee de, nanso obenya ahomegye bebree sen nea saa ɔbarima no benya,
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest 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, yet has he seen 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 has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk 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 sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
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.
That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may 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 be many things 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 knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
