Ɔsɛnkafo 1
1 Eyinom ne nsɛm a Ɔsɛnkafo, ɔhene Dawid babarima a ɔyɛ ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem se:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Ahuhude! Ahuhude!” Ɔsɛnkafo no na ose. “Ahuhude mu ahuhude Biribiara yɛ ahuhude.”
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 Dɛn na onipa nya fi nʼadwumayɛ nyinaa mu, nea okum ne ho yɛ no owia so no?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 Awo ntoatoaso ba na ɛkɔ, nanso asase tim hɔ daa.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Owia pue na owia kɔtɔ, na ɛyɛ ntɛm kɔ nea epue fii hɔ no.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 Mframa bɔ kɔ anafo fam na ɛdan hwɛ atifi fam; ekyinkyin kɔ baabiara, na ɛsan bɔ fa ne kwan so.
The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7 Nsubɔnten nyinaa sen kogu po mu, nanso po nyɛ ma da. Faako a nsubɔnten no fi no hɔ na wɔsan kɔ bio.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 Biribiara yɛ ɔbrɛ a ɛboro nea obi bɛka so. Ani nhwɛ ade nwie da na aso nso ntie nsɛm mma ɛnyɛ mma da.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Nea aba no bɛba bio, nea wɔayɛ no, wɔbɛyɛ bio; ade foforo biara nni owia yi ase.
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Biribi wɔ hɔ a wobetumi aka wɔ ho se: “Hwɛ! eyi yɛ ade foforo” ana? Ɛwɔ hɔ dedaw fi tete nteredee; ɛwɔ hɔ ansa na wɔwoo yɛn.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 Wɔnkae tetefo no, na wɔn a wonnya nnwoo wɔn no nso, wɔn a wobedi wɔn akyi no renkae wɔn.
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 Me, Ɔsɛnkafo, na meyɛ Israelhene wɔ Yerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Mituu me ho sii hɔ sɛ mede nimdeɛ besua ayɛ nhwehwɛmu wɔ biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase ho. Adesoa duruduru a Onyankopɔn de ato adesamma so!
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14 Mahu biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase; ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛnea obi tu mmirika taa mframa.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 Nea akyea no wontumi nteɛ; na nea enni hɔ no wontumi nkan.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16 Mekaa wɔ me tirim se, “Hwɛ, manyin na manya nimdeɛ bebree asen obiara a watena Yerusalem ahengua so ansa na merebedi ade. Manya nhumu ne nimdeɛ mu osuahu.”
I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛhwehwɛ na mate nimdeɛ, ne adammɔsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm ase. Nanso mihuu sɛ eyi nso te sɛnea obi tu mmirika taa mframa.
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 Nimdeɛ bebree de awerɛhow na ɛba; nyansa dɔɔso a, awerɛhowdi dɔɔso.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
