Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 7
1 Edin pa yɛ sene aduhwam papa, na owuda yɛ sene awoda.
A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
2 Ɛyɛ sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayie ase sene sɛ ɔbɛkɔ apontoɔ ase, ɛfiri sɛ owuo yɛ onipa biara hyɛberɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefoɔ hyɛ yei nso.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Awerɛhoɔ yɛ sene ɔsereɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔ mmɔbɔ de akoma mu nsiesie pa ba.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 Onyansafoɔ akoma wɔ ayie ase, nanso nkwaseafoɔ akoma wɔ ahosɛpɛfoɔ fie.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛtie onyansafoɔ animka sene sɛ wɔbɛtie nkwaseafoɔ dwom.
It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Sɛdeɛ nkasɛɛ turituri wɔ ɛsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafoɔ sereɛ teɛ. Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Nsisie ma onyansafoɔ dane ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe akoma.
Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.
8 Asɛm awieeɛ yɛ sene ne ahyɛaseɛ, na ntoboaseɛ yɛ sene ahantan.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Mma wʼakoma nsɔre ntɛm ntɛm na abufuo da wo nso sɛ ɔkwasea.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Ɛnka sɛ, “Adɛn enti na tete nna no yɛ sene ɛnnɛ mmerɛ yi?” Onyansafoɔ mmisa nsɛm sei.
Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Nimdeɛ, sɛ agyapadeɛ no, yɛ adepa. Ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma wɔn a wɔhunu owia.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
12 Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ yɛ banbɔ no saa ara na sika nso teɛ, nanso nhunumu ho adeɛ a ɛyɛ ne sɛ: deɛ ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
13 Dwene deɛ Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hwan na ɔbɛtumi atene deɛ wayɛ ama akyea?
Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14 Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye; nanso mmere bɔne mu, hunu sɛ Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa. Ɛno enti onipa ntumi nhunu deɛ ɛbɛto no daakye.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
15 Me nkwa nna a ɛyɛ ahuhudeɛ yi mu, mahunu nneɛma mmienu: Ɔteneneeni a ɔwu wɔ ne tenenee mu, ne omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumuyɛ mu.
All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.
16 Ɛnyɛ wo ho ɔteneneeni ntra so, na ɛnyɛ wo ho onyansafoɔ mmoro so, adɛn enti na wosɛe wo ho?
Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?
17 Ɛnyɛ omumuyɛfoɔ ntra so, na ɛnyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wowu ansa na wo berɛ aso?
Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?
18 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛsɔ baako mu nanso nnyaa deɛ aka no mu. Onipa a ɔsuro Onyankopɔn no bɛsi adeyɛ mmorosoɔ biara ano.
It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.
19 Nimdeɛ ma onyansafoɔ baako tumi bebree sene kuropɔn mu sodifoɔ edu.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
20 Onipa teneneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.
21 Mfa deɛ nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a, wobɛte sɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ redome wo,
Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
22 na wonim wɔ wʼakoma sɛ, wo nso woadome nkurɔfoɔ mpɛn bebree.
For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.
23 Mede nimdeɛ asɔ yeinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekaa sɛ, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafoɔ” nanso na yei boro me so.
All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
24 Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ teɛ biara, ɛwɔ akyiri, na emu dɔ, hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahwehwɛ ahunu?
That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
25 Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte aseɛ, ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ na mate amumuyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase ne nkwaseasɛm mu abɔdamsɛm nso.
I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
26 Mahunu deɛ ɛyɛ nwono sene owuo ɔbaa a ɔyɛ afidie; nʼakoma yɛ nnaadaa na ne nsa yɛ mpɔkyerɛ. Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho nanso ɔbɔnefoɔ deɛ, ɔbɛtɔ nʼafidie mu.
And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no sɛ, “Hwɛ yei ne deɛ mahwehwɛ ahunu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mehunu sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ.
Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,
28 Mereyɛ nhwehwɛ mu na menhunu hwee no, mehunuu ɔbarima teneneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhunu ɔbaa teneneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.
29 Yei nko ara na mahunu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adasamma teneneefoɔ, nanso nnipa adane wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛeɛ foforɔ.”
Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.
