Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa, na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
Eye sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayi ase sen sɛ ɔbɛkɔ aponto ase, efisɛ owu yɛ onipa biara nkrabea na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefo hyɛ eyi nsow.
3 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
Awerɛhow ye sen ɔserew, efisɛ anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔmmɔbɔ de koma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
Onyansafo koma wɔ ayi ase, nanso nkwaseafo koma wɔ ahosɛpɛwfo fi.
5 It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
Eye sɛ wobetie onyansafo animka sen sɛ wobetie nkwaseafo dwom.
6 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
7 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
9 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm, na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
10 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
Nka se, “Adɛn nti na tete nna no ye sen nnɛ mmere yi?” Onyansafo mmisa nsɛm sɛɛ.
11 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ, so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
12 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
Sɛnea nimdeɛ yɛ bammɔ no, saa ara na sika nso te; nanso nhumu ho ade a eye ne sɛ: nea ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
13 Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
14 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye; nanso mmere bɔne mu, hu sɛ Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa. Ɛno nti onipa rentumi nhu nea ɛbɛto no daakye.
15 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
Me nkwanna a ɛyɛ ahuhude yi mu, mahu nneɛma abien: Ɔtreneeni a owu wɔ ne trenee mu, ne omumɔyɛfo a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumɔyɛ mu.
16 Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
Nyɛ omumɔyɛfo ntra so, na nyɛ ɔkwasea nso, adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu ansa na wo bere aso.
18 It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
Eye sɛ wubeso baako no mu den nanso nnyaa nea aka no mu. Onipa a osuro Onyankopɔn no besiw nneyɛe mmoroso nyinaa ano.
19 Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
Mede nimdeɛ asɔ eyinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekae se, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafo” nanso na eyi boro me so.
24 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
Sɛnea nimdeɛ te biara, ɛwɔ akyiri na emu dɔ, hena na obetumi ahwehwɛ ahu?
25 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte ase, ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te na mate amumɔyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase, ne nkwaseasɛm mu adammɔsɛm nso.
26 And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
Mahu nea ɛyɛ nwene sen owu; ɔbea a ɔyɛ afiri; ne koma yɛ nnaadaa na ne nsa yɛ mpokyerɛ. Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho nanso ɔbɔnefo de ɔbɛtɔ nʼafiri mu.
27 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
Ɔsɛnkafo no se, “Hwɛ eyi ne nea mahwehwɛ ahu: “Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mihu sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te,
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
mereyɛ nhwehwɛmu, na minhu hwee no, mihuu ɔbarima treneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu, nanso manhu ɔbea treneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29 Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
