Ɔsɛnkafo 12 – AKCB & NIRV

Akuapem Twi Contemporary Bible

Ɔsɛnkafo 12:1-14

1Kae wo Bɔfo

wɔ wo mmerantebere mu,

ansa na nnabɔne no aba

na mfe a wobɛka se,

“Minni mu anigye biara” no reba,

2ansa na owia ne hann,

ɔsram ne nsoromma aduru sum,

na omununkum asan aba osutɔ akyi.

3Bere a ofi no awɛmfo ho popo,

na mmarima ahoɔdenfo akom,

bere a awiyamfo agyae adwumayɛ, sɛ wosua nti

na wɔn a wɔhwɛ pema mu no ani so ayɛ kusuu;

4bere a wɔatoto abɔnten no apon mu

na awiyambea nnyigyei ano abrɛ ase;

bere a nnipa te nnomaa su na wɔanyan,

nanso wɔn nnwonto ano abrɛ ase;

5bere a nnipa suro sorokɔ

ne mmɔnten so amanenyasɛm;

bere a “ɔsonkoran” dua begu nhwiren

na tɛwtɛw twe ne ho kɔ no

na nkatede ho adwudwo.

Afei onipa kɔ ne daa home mu

na agyaadwotwafo tu gu mmɔnten so.

6Kae no, ansa na dwetɛ hama no atew,

anaasɛ sikakɔkɔɔ asanka no abɔ;

ansa na sukuruwa no abobɔ wɔ asuten ho,

anaasɛ asubura so nkyimii abubu,

7na dɔte san kɔ asase a efi mu bae,

na honhom no tu kɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔde mae no nkyɛn.

8“Ahuhude mu ahuhude” ɔsɛnkafo no na ose.

“Biribiara yɛ ahuhude!”

Asɛm No Awiei

9Ɔsɛnkafo no yɛ onyansafo na ɔde nimdeɛ maa nnipa nso. Ɔdwenee na ɔyɛɛ nhwehwɛmu na obubuu mmɛ bebree. 10Ɔsɛnkafo no hwehwɛɛ sɛ obenya nsɛm a ɛfata, na nea ɔkyerɛw no yɛ pɛ na ɛyɛ nokware nso.

11Anyansafo nsɛm te sɛ nantwikafo mpeaw. Wɔn nsɛm a wɔaboa ano te sɛ nnadewa a wɔde abobɔ dua mu ma akɔ mu yiye. Saa nsɛm yi nyinaa fi Oguanhwɛfo baako nkyɛn. 12Mebɔ wo kɔkɔ sɛ twe wo ho fi biribiara a ɛka eyinom ho, me babarima.

Nhoma bebrebe nkyerɛw nni awiei, na ne sua pii no ma honam yɛ mmerɛw.

13Afei ne nyinaa atɔ asom;

nsɛm no awiei ni:

Suro Onyankopɔn na di nʼahyɛde so,

na onipa asɛde nyinaa ni.

14Onyankopɔn bebu nneyɛe biara atɛn,

nea wɔayɛ asie nso ka ho,

sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.

New International Reader’s Version

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

1Remember your Creator.

Remember him while you are still young.

Think about him before your times of trouble come.

The years will come when you will say,

“I don’t find any pleasure in them.”

2That’s when the sunlight will become dark.

The moon and the stars will also grow dark.

And the clouds will return after it rains.

3Remember your Creator before those who guard the house tremble with old age.

That’s when strong men will be bent over.

The women who grind grain will stop because there are so few of them left.

Those who look through the windows won’t be able to see very well.

4Remember your Creator before the front doors are closed.

That’s when the sound of grinding will fade away.

Old people will rise up when they hear birds singing.

But they will barely hear any of their songs.

5Remember your Creator before you become afraid of places that are too high.

You will also be terrified because of danger in the streets.

Remember your Creator before the almond trees have buds on them.

That’s when grasshoppers will drag themselves along.

Old people will lose their desire.

That’s when people will go to their dark homes in the grave.

And those who mourn for the dead will walk around in the streets.

6Remember your Creator before the silver cord is cut.

Remember him before the golden bowl is broken.

The wheel will be broken at the well.

The pitcher will be smashed at the spring.

7Remember your Creator before you return to the dust you came from.

Remember him before your spirit goes back to God who gave it.

8“Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”

says the Teacher.

“Nothing has any meaning.”

Have Respect for God and Obey His Commandments

9The Teacher was wise. He gave knowledge to people. He tried out many proverbs. He thought about them carefully. Then he wrote them down in order. 10He did his best to find just the right words. And what he wrote was honest and true.

11The sayings of those who are wise move people to take action. Their collected sayings are like nails pounded in firm and deep. These sayings are given to us by one shepherd. 12My son, be careful not to pay attention to anything added to them.

Books will never stop being written. Too much studying makes people tired.

13Everything has now been heard.

And here’s the final thing I want to say.

Have respect for God and obey his commandments.

This is what he expects of all human beings.

14God will judge everything people do.

That includes everything they try to hide.

He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.