Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 4
1 Bio, mehwɛ mehunuu nhyɛsoɔ a ɛrekɔ so wɔ owia yi ase: Mehunuu wɔn a wɔredi wɔn nya no nisuo na wɔnni ɔwerɛkyekyefoɔ biara; tumi no wɔ wɔn nhyɛsofoɔ no nsam na wɔnni ɔwerɛkyekyefoɔ biara.
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
2 Na mekaa sɛ: Awufoɔ a wɔawuwu dada no ani gye sene ateasefoɔ; wɔn a wɔda so wɔ nkwa mu no.
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.
3 Na deɛ ɔyɛ sene baanu yi ne deɛ ɔnnya mmaeɛ, deɛ ɔnnya nhunuu bɔne a wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase.
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 Na mehunuu sɛ adwumayɛ mu ɔbrɛ ne deɛ onipa tumi yɛ nyinaa nnyinasoɔ ne sɛ, nʼani bere ne yɔnko. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, mmirika a wɔtu taa mframa.
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
5 Ɔkwasea bobɔ ne nsa gu ne ho na ɔsɛe ne ho.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Nsa ma baako a asomdwoeɛ wɔ mu yɛ sene nsa ma mmienu a ɔbrɛ bata ho. Ɛte sɛ deɛ wotaa mframa.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.
7 Afei nso mehunuu biribi a ɛnka hwee wɔ owia yi ase:
Again, I saw futility under the sun.
8 Na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ ankonam; ɔnni ɔbabarima anaa onuabarima. Nʼadwumaden amma nʼawieeɛ da, nanso nʼani ansɔ nʼahonya. Ɔbisaa ne ho sɛ, “Na hwan na merebrɛ ama no, na adɛn enti na mede anigyeɛ kame me kra?” Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɛyɛ ɔhaw kwa.
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
9 Baanu yɛ sene ɔbaakofoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ wɔnya wɔn adwumayɛ so mfasoɔ a ɛsɔ ani:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
10 Sɛ ɔbaako hwe ase a ne yɔnko bɛtumi aboa no. Nanso onipa a ɔhwe ase a ɔnni ɔboafoɔ no yɛ mmɔbɔ.
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!
11 Bio, sɛ baanu da bɔ mu a, wɔka wɔn ho hye. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ɔkɔntenkorɔ aka ne ho hye?
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
12 Ɔbaakofoɔ deɛ, wɔbɛtumi aka no ahyɛ nanso baanu tumi pere wɔn ti. Homa a wɔawɔ no mmɛsa no, wɔntumi ntete mu ntɛm.
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
13 Ɔbabunu nyansafoɔ a ɔdi hia yɛ sene ɔhene akɔkoraa a ɔyɛ kwasea na ɔntie kɔkɔbɔ bio.
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.
14 Ebia na ɔbabunu no firi nneduafie na ɔbɛdii adeɛ anaasɛ wɔwoo no too ohia mu wɔ adehyeɛ abusua mu.
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
15 Mehunuu sɛ wɔn a wɔtenaa ase na wɔnantee owia yi ase nyinaa dii ɔbabunu no akyi, deɛ ɔdii ɔhene no adeɛ no.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.
16 Nnipa dɔm a wɔntumi nkane wɔn dii nʼakyi. Nanso nkyirimma no ani annye ne ho. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
