Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 1
1 Yeinom ne nsɛm a Ɔsɛnkafoɔ, ɔhene Dawid babarima a ɔyɛ ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem seɛ:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 “Ahuhudeɛ! Ahuhudeɛ!” Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no na ɔseɛ. “Ahuhudeɛ mu ahuhudeɛ Biribiara yɛ ahuhudeɛ.”
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, 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 advantage [is there] to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun?
4 Awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ ba na ɛkɔ, nanso asase tim hɔ daa.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 Owia pue na owia kɔtɔ, na ɛyɛ ntɛm kɔ deɛ ɛpue firiiɛ hɔ.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 Mframa bɔ kɔ anafoɔ fam na ɛdane hwɛ atifi fam; ɛkyinkyini kɔ baabiara na ɛsane bɔ fa ne kwan so.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
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; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return again.
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 are full of labor; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.
9 Deɛ aba no bɛba bio, deɛ wɔayɛ no, wɔbɛyɛ bio; adeɛ foforɔ biara nni owia yi ase.
What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing 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.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed before us.
11 Wɔnnkae tetefoɔ no, na wɔn a wɔnnya nnwoo wɔn no nso wɔn a wɔbɛdi wɔn akyi no renkae wɔn.
There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 Me, Ɔsɛnkafoɔ, na meyɛ Israelhene wɔ Yerusalem.
I the Preacher 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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled 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 works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 Deɛ akyea no, wɔntumi ntene; na deɛ ɛnni hɔ no, wɔntumi nkan.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t 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 in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 Nimdeɛ bebree de awerɛhoɔ na ɛba; nyansa bebree de ahohiahia bebree ba.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
