Ɔsɛnkafo 7
1 Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa, na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of his 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 house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to 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 is 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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
6 Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity.
7 Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.
8 Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
9 Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm, na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth 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 is the cause that the former days were better than these?” For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ, so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for 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 is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath 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 be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be 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.
All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their wickedness.
16 Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Nyɛ omumɔyɛfo ntra so, na nyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu ansa na wo bere aso.
Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy 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 good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.
19 Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
20 Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.
21 Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!
22 na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast 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 this have I tried by 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 off and exceeding deep, who can 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 applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness.
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 found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape 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, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.
28 mereyɛ nhwehwɛmu, na minhu hwee no, mihuu ɔbarima treneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhu ɔbea treneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.
29 Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
