Ɔsɛnkafo 7
1 Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa, na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
A [good] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s 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 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 is made glad.
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 the rebuke of the wise, 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.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
8 Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better 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 thou, 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 inheritance: yea, more excellent is 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, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, 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, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that 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 the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
Be not righteous over much; 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 over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city.
20 Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise 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 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 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 turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is 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 find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken 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; [laying] one thing to another, 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 still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
