Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; 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 go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
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 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Awerɛhow ye sen ɔserew, efisɛ anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔmmɔbɔ de koma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Onyansafo koma wɔ ayi ase, nanso nkwaseafo koma wɔ ahosɛpɛwfo fi.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Eye sɛ wobetie onyansafo animka sen sɛ wobetie nkwaseafo dwom.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea, na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase, na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm, na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Nka se, “Adɛn nti na tete nna no ye sen nnɛ mmere yi?” Onyansafo mmisa nsɛm sɛɛ.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ, so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
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 work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho: Hena na obetumi ateɛ nea wɔama akyea?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath appointed the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
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 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life 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 righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so, na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so; adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape from them all.
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 strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21 Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm, anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
22 For often also thy own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Mede nimdeɛ asɔ eyinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekae se, “Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafo” nanso na eyi boro me so.
24 That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
Sɛnea nimdeɛ te biara, ɛwɔ akyiri na emu dɔ, hena na obetumi ahwehwɛ ahu?
25 I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
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 find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoever pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken 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 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to 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, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I 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 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Eyi nko ara na mahu: Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo, nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
