< Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 6 >
1 Mahunu bɔne foforɔ bi wɔ owia yi ase a ɛhyɛ nnipa so yie:
There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
2 Onyankopɔn ma onipa ahonyadeɛ, adenya ne animuonyam sɛdeɛ biribiara a nʼakoma pɛ no ɛmmɔ no, nanso Onyankopɔn amma no kwan sɛ ɔmfa nnye nʼani, na ɔhɔhoɔ mmom na ɔde gye nʼani. Yei yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɔhaw a ɛyɛ yea.
God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
3 Onipa bɛtumi anya mma ɔha na wanyini akyɛre; nanso ne mfeɛ dodoɔ yi akyi no, nʼahonya no amma nʼani annye, na ne sie nso anyɛ fɛ a, ɔpɔn ba ho wɔ mfasoɔ sene no.
A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
4 Ne ba no yɛ adehunu, esum mu na ɔkorɔ, na esum akata ne din so.
For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
5 Ɛwom sɛ wanhunu owia na ɔnnim hwee deɛ, nanso ɔbɛnya ahomegyeɛ bebree sene deɛ saa ɔbarima no bɛnya.
The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
6 Mpo sɛ ɔtena ase mfeɛ apem mmɔho na wammfa nʼahonyadeɛ annye nʼani a, wɔn nyinaa nkɔ faako anaa?
even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7 Onipa brɛ nyinaa yɛ nʼano ntia, nanso nʼakɔnnɔdeɛ mmee no da.
All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8 Na ɛdeɛn na onyansafoɔ wɔ de sene ɔkwasea? Sɛ ohiani yɛ nʼakwan yie wɔ afoforɔ anim a mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
9 Deɛ aniwa hunu no yɛ sene deɛ akɔnnɔ kyini hwehwɛ. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ. Ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
10 Deɛ ɛwɔ hɔ biara, wɔato edin dada, na sɛdeɛ onipa teɛ nso, wɔnim dada; onipa biara rentumi ne deɛ ɔwɔ ahoɔden sene noɔ nnye yei ho akyinnyeɛ.
Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
11 Nsɛm dɔɔso a, emu aba yɛ kakraa bi, na ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma onipa anaa?
For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
12 Na hwan na ɔnim deɛ ɛyɛ ma onipa wɔ ne nkwanna kakra bi a ɛyɛ ahuhudeɛ na ɔfa mu kɔ sɛ sunsumma no? Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka deɛ ɛbɛsi wɔ owia yi ase akyerɛ no ɛberɛ a ɔkorɔ no.
For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?