Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 5
1 Sɛ wokɔ Onyankopɔn fie a, hwɛ wʼanammɔntuo yie. Bɛn no na tie no sene sɛ wobɛbɔ nkwaseafoɔ afɔdeɛ, wɔn a wɔnnim mfomsoɔ a wɔyɛ no.
Guard your foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing.
2 Mpɛ ntɛm nkasa, mma wʼakoma ho mpere no sɛ ɔbɛka asɛm bi wɔ Onyankopɔn anim. Onyankopɔn te ɔsoro na wo deɛ, wo wɔ asase so, enti ma wo nsɛm nyɛ kakraa bi.
You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
3 Sɛdeɛ adaeɛsoɔ firi adwendwene bebree mu ba no, saa ara na ɔkwasea kasa tentene teɛ.
Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
4 Sɛ wohyɛ Onyankopɔn bɔ a, ntwentwɛn wo nan ase wɔ ho. Ɔnni anigyeɛ wɔ nkwaseafoɔ mu; enti di wo bɔhyɛ so.
If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
5 Sɛ woanhyɛ bɔ koraa a, ɛyɛ sene sɛ wobɛhyɛ bɔ na wonni so.
And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
6 Mma wʼano mfa wo nkɔ bɔne mu. Nyi wʼano nkyerɛ asɔredan mu ɔsomfoɔ sɛ, “Me bɔhyɛ no yɛ mfomsoɔ.” Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn bo fu deɛ woka na ɔsɛe wo nsa ano adwuma?
You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
7 Adaeɛso ne nsɛm keka bebree nka hwee. Enti suro Onyankopɔn.
Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
8 Sɛ wohunu ohiani a wɔhyɛ ne so wɔ ɔmansin bi mu, na atɛntenenee ne ahofadie abɔ no a, mma yeinom nyɛ wo nwanwa ɛfiri sɛ, deɛ ɔso sene no hwɛ ne so, na deɛ ɔso sene wɔn baanu no nso hwɛ wɔn so.
If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
9 Asase no so siadeɛ wɔ ɛso nnipa nyinaa, na ɔhene no ankasa na ɔnya mfuo no so mfasodeɛ.
But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
10 Deɛ nʼani bere sika no nnya deɛ ɛdɔɔso da; na deɛ ɔpɛ ahonyadeɛ dodoɔ no ani nsɔ deɛ ɔnya. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
11 Adetɔndeɛ bu so a, saa ara na atɔfoɔ no nso dɔɔso. Na mfasoɔ bɛn na deɛ ɛwɔ noɔ no nya sene sɛ ɔde nʼani bɛhwɛ?
Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
12 Ɔpaani da ma nʼani kum, sɛ wadidi amee anaasɛ wammee, nanso ɔdefoɔ ahonya dodoɔ enti ɔntumi nna.
Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
13 Ɔhaw kɛseɛ bi a mahunu no wɔ owia yi ase nie: sɛ wɔboaboa ahonyadeɛ ano de ha ne wura,
There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
14 anaasɛ ɔbɛhwere ahonyadeɛ wɔ amanehunu mu a enti sɛ ɔnya ɔbabarima bi a hwee nni hɔ a wɔde bɛgya no.
For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
15 Adagya na onipa de firi ne maame yafunu mu baeɛ, na sɛdeɛ ɔbaeɛ no, saa ara na ɔbɛkorɔ. Ɔmmfa nʼadwumayɛ so mfasodeɛ biara a ɔbɛtumi akuta wɔ ne nsa mu nkɔ.
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
16 Yei nso yɛ ɔhaw kɛseɛ: Sɛdeɛ onipa ba no, saa ara na ɔkorɔ, na mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔnya wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔyɛ adwuma ma mframa?
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
17 Ne nna nyinaa mu no, ɔdidi a, nʼanom nyɛ no dɛ ɛfiri sɛ abamubuo, ateeteeɛ ne abufuo wɔ no so.
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
18 Afei mehunuu sɛ ɛyɛ ma onipa sɛ ɔbɛdidi na wanom na wama nʼani agye nʼadwumaden ho wɔ owia yi ase, wɔ mmerɛ kakra a Onyankopɔn de ama no yi mu, ɛfiri sɛ yei ne ne kyɛfa.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
19 Deɛ ɛka ho ne sɛ, sɛ Onyankopɔn ma onipa bi ahonyadeɛ ne adenya, na ɔnya ahotɔ, de anigyeɛ yɛ nʼadwuma, na ɔhunu sɛ ne kyɛfa ne no a, ɔnnkae sɛ ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn akyɛdeɛ.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
20 Ɔnntaa ntena ase nnwene ne nkwa nna ho, ɛfiri sɛ Onyankopɔn de akoma mu anigyeɛ ama no.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
