Ɔsɛnkafo 1
1 Eyinom ne nsɛm a Ɔsɛnkafo, ɔhene Dawid babarima a ɔyɛ ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem se:
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 “Ahuhude! Ahuhude!” Ɔsɛnkafo no na ose. “Ahuhude mu ahuhude Biribiara yɛ ahuhude.”
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 Dɛn na onipa nya fi nʼadwumayɛ nyinaa mu, nea okum ne ho yɛ no owia so no?
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 Awo ntoatoaso ba na ɛkɔ, nanso asase tim hɔ daa.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 Owia pue na owia kɔtɔ, na ɛyɛ ntɛm kɔ nea epue fii hɔ no.
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 Mframa bɔ kɔ anafo fam na ɛdan hwɛ atifi fam; ekyinkyin kɔ baabiara, na ɛsan bɔ fa ne kwan so.
Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7 Nsubɔnten nyinaa sen kogu po mu, nanso po nyɛ ma da. Faako a nsubɔnten no fi no hɔ na wɔsan kɔ bio.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8 Biribiara yɛ ɔbrɛ a ɛboro nea obi bɛka so. Ani nhwɛ ade nwie da na aso nso ntie nsɛm mma ɛnyɛ mma da.
All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9 Nea aba no bɛba bio, nea wɔayɛ no, wɔbɛyɛ bio; ade foforo biara nni owia yi ase.
What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10 Biribi wɔ hɔ a wobetumi aka wɔ ho se: “Hwɛ! eyi yɛ ade foforo” ana? Ɛwɔ hɔ dedaw fi tete nteredee; ɛwɔ hɔ ansa na wɔwoo yɛn.
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11 Wɔnkae tetefo no, na wɔn a wonnya nnwoo wɔn no nso, wɔn a wobedi wɔn akyi no renkae wɔn.
There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12 Me, Ɔsɛnkafo, na meyɛ Israelhene wɔ Yerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 Mituu me ho sii hɔ sɛ mede nimdeɛ besua ayɛ nhwehwɛmu wɔ biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase ho. Adesoa duruduru a Onyankopɔn de ato adesamma so!
And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14 Mahu biribiara a wɔyɛ no owia yi ase; ne nyinaa nka hwee, ɛte sɛnea obi tu mmirika taa mframa.
I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 Nea akyea no wontumi nteɛ; na nea enni hɔ no wontumi nkan.
The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16 Mekaa wɔ me tirim se, “Hwɛ, manyin na manya nimdeɛ bebree asen obiara a watena Yerusalem ahengua so ansa na merebedi ade. Manya nhumu ne nimdeɛ mu osuahu.”
I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛhwehwɛ na mate nimdeɛ, ne adammɔsɛm ne nkwaseasɛm ase. Nanso mihuu sɛ eyi nso te sɛnea obi tu mmirika taa mframa.
And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18 Nimdeɛ bebree de awerɛhow na ɛba; nyansa dɔɔso a, awerɛhowdi dɔɔso.
Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
