1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
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. 3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.7.3 Sorrow: or, Anger 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.7.6 crackling: Heb. sound
7¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.7.10 wisely: Heb. out of wisdom
11¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.7.11 good…: or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too 12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.7.12 defence: Heb. shadow 13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.7.14 set: Heb. made 15All 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. 16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?7.16 destroy…: Heb. be desolate? 17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?7.17 before…: Heb. not in thy time? 18It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. 19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:7.21 take…: Heb. give not thine heart 22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25I applied mine 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:7.25 I applied…: Heb. I and mine heart compassed 26And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.7.26 whoso…: Heb. he that is good before God 27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:7.27 counting…: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason 28Which 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. 29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Nimdeɛ
1Din pa yɛ sen aduhuam papa,
na owuda yɛ sen awoda.
2Eye sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayi ase
sen sɛ ɔbɛkɔ aponto ase,
efisɛ owu yɛ onipa biara nkrabea
na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefo hyɛ eyi nsow.
3Awerɛhow ye sen ɔserew,
efisɛ anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔmmɔbɔ de koma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4Onyansafo koma wɔ ayi ase,
nanso nkwaseafo koma wɔ ahosɛpɛwfo fi.
5Eye sɛ wobetie onyansafo animka
sen sɛ wobetie nkwaseafo dwom.
6Sɛnea nsɔe turuturuw wɔ ɔsɛn ase no
saa ara na nkwaseafo serew te.
Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude.
7Asisi ma onyansafo dan ɔkwasea,
na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe koma.
8Asɛm awiei ye sen ne mfiase,
na ntoboase ye sen ahantan.
9Mma wo koma nsɔre ntɛmntɛm,
na abufuw da nkwaseafo srɛ so.
10Nka se, “Adɛn nti na tete nna no ye sen nnɛ mmere yi?”
Onyansafo mmisa nsɛm sɛɛ.
11Nimdeɛ, ɛyɛ ade pa sɛ agyapade ara pɛ,
so wɔ mfaso ma wɔn a wohu owia.
12Sɛnea 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.
13Dwene nea Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho:
Hena na obetumi ateɛ
nea wɔama akyea?
14Mmere 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.
15Me 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.
16Nyɛ wo ho ɔtreneeni ntra so,
na nyɛ wo ho onyansafo mmoro so;
adɛn nti na wosɛe wo ho?
17Nyɛ omumɔyɛfo ntra so,
na nyɛ ɔkwasea nso,
adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu ansa na wo bere aso.
18Eye sɛ wubeso baako no mu den
nanso nnyaa nea aka no mu.
Onipa a osuro Onyankopɔn no besiw nneyɛe mmoroso nyinaa ano.
19Nimdeɛ ma onyansafo baako tumi bebree
sen kuropɔn mu asodifo du.
20Onipa treneeni biara nni asase so a
ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21Mfa nea nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm,
anyɛ saa a wobɛte sɛ wo somfo redome wo,
22na wunim wɔ wo koma sɛ
wo nso woadome nkurɔfo mpɛn bebree.
23Mede nimdeɛ asɔ eyinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekae se,
“Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafo”
nanso na eyi boro me so.
24Sɛnea nimdeɛ te biara,
ɛwɔ akyiri na emu dɔ,
hena na obetumi ahwehwɛ ahu?
25Afei 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.
26Mahu 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.
27Ɔsɛnkafo no se, “Hwɛ eyi ne nea mahwehwɛ ahu:
“Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mihu sɛnea nneɛma nhyehyɛe te,
28mereyɛ nhwehwɛmu,
na minhu hwee no,
mihuu ɔbarima treneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu,
nanso manhu ɔbea treneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29Eyi nko ara na mahu:
Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adesamma atreneefo,
nanso nnipa adan wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛe foforo.”
