Ɔsɛnkafo 7
1 Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa, na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 Eye sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayi ase sen sɛ ɔbɛkɔ aponto ase, efisɛ owu yɛ onipa biara nkrabea na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefo hyɛ eyi nsow.
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
3 Awerɛhow ye sen ɔserew, efisɛ anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔmmɔbɔ de koma mu nsiesie pa ba.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
4 Onyansafo koma wɔ ayi ase, nanso nkwaseafo koma wɔ ahosɛpɛwfo fi.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Eye sɛ wobetie onyansafo animka sen sɛ wobetie nkwaseafo dwom.
[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
7 Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
8 Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
9 Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm, na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
10 Nka se, “Adɛn nti na tete nna no ye sen nnɛ mmere yi?” Onyansafo mmisa nsɛm sɛɛ.
Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
11 Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ, so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
12 Sɛnea nimdeɛ yɛ bammɔ no, saa ara na sika nso te; nanso nhumu ho ade a eye ne sɛ: nea ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
13 Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
14 Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye; nanso mmere bɔne mu, hu sɛ Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa. Ɛno nti onipa rentumi nhu nea ɛbɛto no daakye.
In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
15 Me nkwanna a ɛyɛ ahuhude yi mu, mahu nneɛma abien: Ɔtreneeni a owu wɔ ne trenee mu, ne omumɔyɛfo a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumɔyɛ mu.
I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
16 Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
17 Nyɛ omumɔyɛfo ntra so, na nyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu ansa na wo bere aso.
Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
18 Eye sɛ wubeso baako no mu den nanso nnyaa nea aka no mu. Onipa a osuro Onyankopɔn no besiw nneyɛe mmoroso nyinaa ano.
It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
19 Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
21 Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
23 Mede nimdeɛ asɔ eyinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekae se, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafo” nanso na eyi boro me so.
All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Sɛnea nimdeɛ te biara, ɛwɔ akyiri na emu dɔ, hena na obetumi ahwehwɛ ahu?
[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte ase, ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te na mate amumɔyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase, ne nkwaseasɛm mu adammɔsɛm nso.
I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
26 Mahu nea ɛyɛ nwene sen owu; ɔbea a ɔyɛ afiri; ne koma yɛ nnaadaa na ne nsa yɛ mpokyerɛ. Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho nanso ɔbɔnefo de ɔbɛtɔ nʼafiri mu.
And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Ɔsɛnkafo no se, “Hwɛ eyi ne nea mahwehwɛ ahu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mihu sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te,
Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
28 mereyɛ nhwehwɛmu, na minhu hwee no, mihuu ɔbarima treneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhu ɔbea treneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
29 Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
