Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 1
1 Yeinom ne nsɛm a Ɔsɛnkafoɔ, ɔhene Dawid babarima a ɔyɛ ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem seɛ:
The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
2 “Ahuhudeɛ! Ahuhudeɛ!” Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no na ɔseɛ. “Ahuhudeɛ mu ahuhudeɛ Biribiara yɛ ahuhudeɛ.”
Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
3 Ɛdeɛn na onipa nya firi nʼadwumayɛ nyinaa mu? Deɛn na ɔnya firi deɛ enti ɔkum ne ho yɛ no awia so no?
What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
4 Awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ ba na ɛkɔ, nanso asase tim hɔ daa.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
5 Owia pue na owia kɔtɔ, na ɛyɛ ntɛm kɔ deɛ ɛpue firiiɛ hɔ.
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
6 Mframa bɔ kɔ anafoɔ fam na ɛdane hwɛ atifi fam; ɛkyinkyini kɔ baabiara na ɛsane bɔ fa ne kwan so.
Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
7 Nsubɔntene nyinaa tene kɔgu ɛpo mu, nanso ɛpo nyɛ ma da. Baabi a nsubɔntene no firie no ɛhɔ na wɔsane kɔ bio.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
8 Biribiara yɛ ɔbrɛ a ɛboro deɛ obi bɛka soɔ. Ani nhwɛ adeɛ nwie da na aso nso ntie nsɛm mma ɛmmu so da.
All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 Deɛ aba no bɛba bio, deɛ wɔayɛ no, wɔbɛyɛ bio; adeɛ foforɔ biara nni owia yi ase.
That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Biribi wɔ hɔ a wɔbɛtumi aka wɔ ho sɛ: “Hwɛ! Yei yɛ ade foforɔ” anaa? Ɛwɔ hɔ dada firi tete nteredee; ɛwɔ hɔ ansa na wɔwoo yɛn.
If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were before us.
11 Wɔnnkae tetefoɔ no, na wɔn a wɔnnya nnwoo wɔn no nso wɔn a wɔbɛdi wɔn akyi no renkae wɔn.
[Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
12 Me, Ɔsɛnkafoɔ, na meyɛ Israelhene wɔ Yerusalem.
I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Metuu me ho sii hɔ sɛ mede nimdeɛ bɛsua ayɛ nhwehwɛmu wɔ biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase ho. Adesoa duruduru bɛn na Onyankopɔn de ato adasamma soɔ yi!
And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves therewith.
14 Mahunu biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase; ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛ deɛ obi de mmirika taa mframa.
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
15 Deɛ akyea no, wɔntumi ntene; na deɛ ɛnni hɔ no, wɔntumi nkan.
What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
16 Mekaa wɔ me ho sɛ, “Hwɛ, manyini na manya nimdeɛ bebree asene obiara a watena Yerusalem ahennwa so ansa na merebɛdi adeɛ. Manya nhunumu ne nimdeɛ mu osuahunu.”
I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17 Afei, meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛhwehwɛ na mate nimdeɛ ase, ɛne abɔdamsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm. Nanso mehunuu sɛ yei nso te sɛ deɛ obi di mmirika taa mframa.
And I directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
18 Nimdeɛ bebree de awerɛhoɔ na ɛba; nyansa bebree de ahohiahia bebree ba.
For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
