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 on 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 gives riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien 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 fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;
4 Ne ba no yɛ ade hunu, sum mu na ɔkɔ, na sum akata ne din so.
for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name 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 has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
6 mpo sɛ ɔtena ase mfe apem mmɔho na wamfa nʼahonyade annye nʼani a, wɔn nyinaa nkɔ faako ana?
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t 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 has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how 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 also is vanity and a chasing 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.
Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
11 Nsɛm dɔɔso a, mu ntease sua, na so wɔ mfaso ma onipa ana?
For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?
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 life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
