Nnwom 49
1 Kora mma dwom. Nnipa nyinaa, montie; monyɛ aso, mo a mowɔ ewiase yi mu nyinaa,
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2 deɛ ɔyɛ abomfiaa ne deɛ ɔdi mu, adefoɔ ne ahiafoɔ nyinaa.
both low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 Mʼano bɛka anyansasɛm; nsɛm a ɛfiri mʼakomam bɛma nhunumu.
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 Mɛbrɛ mʼaso ase atie abɛbusɛm; na menam sankubɔ so bɛte aseɛ ama makyerɛ abɛbusɛm no ase.
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
5 Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mesuro nna bɔne, ɛberɛ a amumuyɛfoɔ adaadaafoɔ atwa me ho ahyia,
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
6 wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to wɔn ahonya soɔ na wɔde wɔn adedodoɔ hoahoa wɔn ho?
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 Onipa biara rentumi nnye nʼankasa nkwa na ɔrentumi mfa mpata biara mma Onyankopɔn.
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
8 Nkwa ho mpata boɔ yɛ den, sika biara rentumi ntɔ,
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
9 sɛ ɛbɛma no atena ase afebɔɔ a ɔrenhunu porɔeɛ.
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
10 Obiara nim pefee sɛ anyansafoɔ wu; saa ara na nkwaseafoɔ ne agyimifoɔ nso wuo na wɔgya wɔn ahonya hɔ ma afoforɔ.
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Wɔn adamena bɛyɛ wɔn afie afebɔɔ. Ɛhɔ na wɔbɛtena awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ kɔsi ɛberɛ a ɛnni awieeɛ mu, wɔn din a wɔde totoo nsase so nyinaa akyi.
Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
12 Na onipa ahonya nyinaa akyi no, ɔrentena hɔ daa; ɔte sɛ mmoa a wɔwuo no ara.
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 Yei ne deɛ ɛda hɔ ma wɔn a wɔgye wɔn ho die, ne wɔn akyidifoɔ a wɔfoa wɔn nsɛm soɔ.
This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
14 Wɔte sɛ nnwan na wɔbɛkɔ damena mu, na owuo de wɔn bɛyɛ nʼaduane. Teneneefoɔ bɛdi wɔn so anɔpa; wɔn onipadua bɛporɔ wɔ damena mu, na wɔne wɔn adan akɛseɛ no ntam kwan bɛware. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. (Sheol h7585)
15 Nanso, Onyankopɔn de ne tumi bɛgye me afiri damena mu; ampa ara, ɔde me bɛkɔ ne nkyɛn. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. (Sheol h7585)
16 Sɛ onipa nya ne ho a, mma ɛnha wo; na sɛ ne fie anigyeɛ yɛ bebree a, mma no nha wo;
Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
17 ɛfiri sɛ, sɛ ɔwu a, ɔremfa hwee nkɔ, nʼanimuonyam ne no renkɔ amena mu.
For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
18 Mpo ɔte ase no, ɔfaa no sɛ wɔahyira no, ɛfiri sɛ wɔkamfo nnipa ɛberɛ a wɔdi yie,
Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
19 nanso ɔbɛkɔ akɔka nʼagyanom ho, wɔn a wɔrenhunu nkwa hann ara da no.
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ ahonya na ɔnni nhunumu no, ɔte sɛ aboa a ɔwuo.
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
