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
1Edin pa yɛ sene aduhwam papa,
na owuda yɛ sene awoda.
2Ɛyɛ sɛ obi bɛkɔ ayie ase
sene sɛ ɔbɛkɔ apontoɔ ase,
ɛfiri sɛ owuo yɛ onipa biara hyɛberɛ
na ɛsɛ sɛ ateasefoɔ hyɛ yei nso.
3Awerɛhoɔ yɛ sene ɔsereɛ,
ɛfiri sɛ, anim a ayɛ mmɔbɔ mmɔbɔ de akoma mu nsiesie pa ba.
4Onyansafoɔ akoma wɔ ayie ase,
nanso nkwaseafoɔ akoma wɔ ahosɛpɛfoɔ fie.
5Ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛtie onyansafoɔ animka
sene sɛ wɔbɛtie nkwaseafoɔ dwom.
6Sɛdeɛ nkasɛɛ turituri wɔ ɛsɛn ase no
saa ara na nkwaseafoɔ sereɛ teɛ.
Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
7Nsisie ma onyansafoɔ dane ɔkwasea,
na kɛtɛasehyɛ sɛe akoma.
8Asɛm awieeɛ yɛ sene ne ahyɛaseɛ,
na ntoboaseɛ yɛ sene ahantan.
9Mma wʼakoma nsɔre ntɛm ntɛm
na abufuo da wo nso sɛ ɔkwasea.
10Ɛnka sɛ, “Adɛn enti na tete nna no yɛ sene ɛnnɛ mmerɛ yi?”
Onyansafoɔ mmisa nsɛm sei.
11Nimdeɛ, sɛ agyapadeɛ no, yɛ adepa.
Ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma wɔn a wɔhunu owia.
12Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ yɛ banbɔ no
saa ara na sika nso teɛ,
nanso nhunumu ho adeɛ a ɛyɛ ne sɛ:
deɛ ɔwɔ nimdeɛ no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
13Dwene deɛ Onyankopɔn ayɛ ho:
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi atene
deɛ wayɛ ama akyea?
14Mmere pa mu, ma wʼani nnye;
nanso mmere bɔne mu, hunu sɛ
Onyankopɔn na wayɛ ne nyinaa.
Ɛno enti onipa ntumi nhunu
deɛ ɛbɛto no daakye.
15Me nkwa nna a ɛyɛ ahuhudeɛ yi mu, mahunu nneɛma mmienu:
Ɔteneneeni a ɔwu wɔ ne tenenee mu,
ne omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔtena ase kyɛ wɔ nʼamumuyɛ mu.
16Ɛnyɛ wo ho ɔteneneeni ntra so,
na ɛnyɛ wo ho onyansafoɔ mmoro so,
adɛn enti na wosɛe wo ho?
17Ɛnyɛ omumuyɛfoɔ ntra so,
na ɛnyɛ ɔkwasea nso,
adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wowu ansa na wo berɛ aso?
18Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛsɔ baako mu
nanso nnyaa deɛ aka no mu.
Onipa a ɔsuro Onyankopɔn no bɛsi adeyɛ mmorosoɔ biara ano.
19Nimdeɛ ma onyansafoɔ baako tumi bebree
sene kuropɔn mu sodifoɔ edu.
20Onipa teneneeni biara nni asase so a
ɔyɛ papa na ɔnyɛ bɔne da.
21Mfa deɛ nnipa ka nyinaa nyɛ asɛm,
anyɛ saa a, wobɛte sɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ redome wo,
22na wonim wɔ wʼakoma sɛ,
wo nso woadome nkurɔfoɔ mpɛn bebree.
23Mede nimdeɛ asɔ yeinom nyinaa ahwɛ, na mekaa sɛ,
“Masi mʼadwene pi sɛ mɛyɛ onyansafoɔ”
nanso na yei boro me so.
24Sɛdeɛ nimdeɛ teɛ biara,
ɛwɔ akyiri, na emu dɔ,
hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahwehwɛ ahunu?
25Afei meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛte aseɛ,
ayɛ nhwehwɛmu na mapɛɛpɛɛ nimdeɛ ne sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ
na mate amumuyɛ mu agyimisɛm ase
ne nkwaseasɛm mu abɔdamsɛm nso.
26Mahunu deɛ ɛyɛ nwono sene owuo
ɔbaa a ɔyɛ afidie;
nʼakoma yɛ nnaadaa
na ne nsa yɛ mpɔkyerɛ.
Onipa a ɔsɔ Onyankopɔn ani no renkɔ ne ho
nanso ɔbɔnefoɔ deɛ, ɔbɛtɔ nʼafidie mu.
27Ɔsɛnkafoɔ no sɛ, “Hwɛ yei ne deɛ mahwehwɛ ahunu:
“Mekekaa nneɛma bobɔɔ so pɛɛ sɛ mehunu sɛdeɛ nneɛma nhyehyɛeɛ teɛ.
28Mereyɛ nhwehwɛ mu
na menhunu hwee no,
mehunuu ɔbarima teneneeni baako wɔ mmarima apem mu,
nanso manhunu ɔbaa teneneeni biara wɔ wɔn mu.
29Yei nko ara na mahunu:
Onyankopɔn yɛɛ adasamma teneneefoɔ,
nanso nnipa adane wɔn ho hwehwɛ nhyehyɛeɛ foforɔ.”
