Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 12
1 Kae wo Bɔfoɔ wɔ wo mmeranteberɛ mu, ansa na nnabɔne no aba na mfeɛ a wobɛka sɛ, “Menni mu anigyeɛ biara” no reba,
And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 ansa na owia ne hann, ɔsrane ne nsoromma aduru sum, na omununkum asane aba osutɔ akyi.
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 Ɛberɛ a efie no awɛmfoɔ ho popo, na mmarima ahoɔdenfoɔ akom, ɛberɛ a ayamfoɔ agyae adwumayɛ, sɛ wɔsua enti na wɔn a wɔhwɛ mpoma mu no ani so ayɛ kusuu;
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4 ɛberɛ a wɔatoto abɔntene no apono mu na ayammeeɛ nnyegyeeɛ ano abrɛ ase; ɛberɛ a nnipa te nnomaa su na wɔanyane, nanso wɔn nnwontoɔ ano brɛ ase;
and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 ɛberɛ a nnipa suro ɛsoro kɔ ne mmɔntene so amanenyasɛm; ɛberɛ a sorɔno dua bɛgu nhyerɛnne na abɛbɛ wea korɔ na nkatedeɛ ho adwodwoɔ. Afei onipa kɔ ne daa homeɛ mu na agyaadwotwafoɔ tu gu mmɔntene so.
they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets; )
6 Kae no, ansa na dwetɛ ahoma no ate, anaasɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ayowaa no abɔ; ansa na sukuruwa no abobɔ wɔ asutene ho, anaasɛ asubura so nkyimiiɛ abubu,
— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7 na dɔteɛ sane kɔ asase a ɛfiri mu baeɛ, na honhom no tu kɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔde maeɛ no nkyɛn.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 “Ahuhudeɛ mu ahuhudeɛ” ɔsɛnkafoɔ no na ɔseɛ. “Biribiara yɛ ahuhudeɛ!”
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9 Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no yɛ onyansafoɔ na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdweneeɛ na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na ɔbubuu mmɛ bebree.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no hwehwɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛnya nsɛm a ɛfata, na deɛ ɔtwerɛeɛ no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokorɛ nso.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11 Anyansafoɔ nsɛm te sɛ anantwikafoɔ mpea. Wɔn nsɛm a wɔaboa ano te sɛ nnadewa a wɔde abobɔ dua mu ma akɔ mu yie. Saa nsɛm yi nyinaa firi Odwanhwɛfoɔ baako nkyɛn.
The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12 Mebɔ wo kɔkɔ sɛ twe wo ho firi biribiara a ɛka yeinom ho, me babarima. Nwoma bebrebe atwerɛ nni awieeɛ, na ne sua pii no ma honam yɛ mmerɛ.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Afei ne nyinaa atɔ asom; nsɛm no awieeɛ nie: Suro Onyankopɔn na di nʼahyɛdeɛ so, na onipa asɛdeɛ nyinaa nie.
Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14 Onyankopɔn bɛbu adeyɛ biara atɛn, deɛ wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
