Nnwom 49
1 Kora mma dwom. Nnipa nyinaa, montie; monyɛ aso, mo a mowɔ ewiase yi mu nyinaa,
To the Chief Musician. For the Sons of Korah. A Melody. Hear ye, this all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of this passing world;
2 deɛ ɔyɛ abomfiaa ne deɛ ɔdi mu, adefoɔ ne ahiafoɔ nyinaa.
Both sons of the low, And sons of the high, —Together both rich and needy: —
3 Mʼano bɛka anyansasɛm; nsɛm a ɛfiri mʼakomam bɛma nhunumu.
My mouth, shall speak forth Wisdom, And the soft utterance of my heart be Understanding:
4 Mɛbrɛ mʼaso ase atie abɛbusɛm; na menam sankubɔ so bɛte aseɛ ama makyerɛ abɛbusɛm no ase.
I will bend, to a by-word, mine ear, I will open, on the lyre, mine enigma.
5 Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mesuro nna bɔne, ɛberɛ a amumuyɛfoɔ adaadaafoɔ atwa me ho ahyia,
Wherefore should I fear in the days of calamity, Though the iniquity of them who lie in wait for me should enclose me?
6 wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to wɔn ahonya soɔ na wɔde wɔn adedodoɔ hoahoa wɔn ho?
As for them who are trusting in their wealth, —And, in the abundance of their riches, do boast themselves,
7 Onipa biara rentumi nnye nʼankasa nkwa na ɔrentumi mfa mpata biara mma Onyankopɔn.
A brother, can none of them, redeem, he cannot give unto God a ransom for himself:
8 Nkwa ho mpata boɔ yɛ den, sika biara rentumi ntɔ,
So costly, is the redemption of their soul, That it faileth unto times age-abiding;
9 sɛ ɛbɛma no atena ase afebɔɔ a ɔrenhunu porɔeɛ.
That he should, yet, live on, continually, Should not see corruption.
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 seen that, the wise, die, Together with the dullard, and the brutish, do they perish, And leave, to others, their wealth:
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, inward thought, is that their houses are for times age-abiding, Their habitations, for generation after generation, —They give their own names unto lands!
12 Na onipa ahonya nyinaa akyi no, ɔrentena hɔ daa; ɔte sɛ mmoa a wɔwuo no ara.
But, a son of earth, though wealthy, cannot tarry, He hath made himself a by-word—Beasts, they resemble:
13 Yei ne deɛ ɛda hɔ ma wɔn a wɔgye wɔn ho die, ne wɔn akyidifoɔ a wɔfoa wɔn nsɛm soɔ.
This, their way, is a folly to them, And yet, their followers, with their mouth, approve. (Selah)
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—into hades, are they driven, Death shall shepherd them, —And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, Even their form, is to decay, Hades, is all that remaineth of a habitation for him. (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 soul, out of the hand of hades, For he will take me. (Selah) (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 fear, When a man becometh rich, When the glory of his house increaseth;
17 ɛfiri sɛ, sɛ ɔwu a, ɔremfa hwee nkɔ, nʼanimuonyam ne no renkɔ amena mu.
For, when he dieth, he shall take, nothing, his glory shall not descend after him;
18 Mpo ɔte ase no, ɔfaa no sɛ wɔahyira no, ɛfiri sɛ wɔkamfo nnipa ɛberɛ a wɔdi yie,
For, though, his own self—while he lived, he used to bless, And they will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,
19 nanso ɔbɛkɔ akɔka nʼagyanom ho, wɔn a wɔrenhunu nkwa hann ara da no.
He shall enter as far as the circle of his fathers, Nevermore, shall they see the light.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ ahonya na ɔnni nhunumu no, ɔte sɛ aboa a ɔwuo.
A son of earth though wealthy, who discerneth not, Hath made himself a by-word, Beasts, they resemble.
