Suffering, Hard Work and No Friends
1I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth.
I saw the tears of those who are suffering.
They don’t have anyone to comfort them.
Power is on the side of those who treat them badly.
Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.
2Then I announced that those
who have already died
are happier than those
who are still alive.
3But someone who hasn’t been born yet
is better off than the dead or the living.
That’s because that person hasn’t seen the evil things
that are done on earth.
4I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
5Foolish people fold their hands and don’t work.
And that destroys them.
6One handful with peace and quiet
is better than two handfuls with hard work.
Working too hard is like chasing the wind.
7Again I saw something on earth that didn’t mean anything.
8A man lived all by himself.
He didn’t have any sons or brothers.
His hard work never ended.
But he wasn’t happy with what he had.
“Who am I working so hard for?” he asked.
“Why don’t I get the things I enjoy?”
That doesn’t have any meaning either.
In fact, it’s a very bad deal!
9Two people are better than one.
They can help each other in everything they do.
10Suppose either of them falls down.
Then the one can help the other one up.
But suppose a person falls down and doesn’t have anyone to help them up.
Then feel sorry for that person!
11Or suppose two people lie down together.
Then they’ll keep warm.
But how can one person keep warm alone?
12One person could be overpowered.
But two people can stand up for themselves.
And a rope made out of three cords isn’t easily broken.
Getting Ahead Is Meaningless
13A poor but wise young man is better off than an old but foolish king. That king doesn’t pay attention to a warning anymore. 14The young man might have come from prison to become king. Or he might have been born poor within the kingdom but still became king. 15I saw that everyone was following the young man who had become the new king. 16At first, all the people served him when he became king. But those who came later weren’t pleased with the way he was ruling. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
Nhyɛso, Adwumaden, Ankonam
1Bio, mehwɛ mihuu nhyɛso a ɛrekɔ so wɔ owia yi ase:
Mihuu wɔn a wɔredi wɔn nya no nusu
na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara;
tumi no wɔ wɔn nhyɛsofo no nsam
na wonni ɔwerɛkyekyefo biara.
2Na mekae se: Awufo a
wɔawuwu dedaw no,
ani gye sen ateasefo;
wɔn a wɔda so wɔ nkwa mu no.
3Na nea oye sen baanu yi
ne nea onnya mmae,
nea onnya nhuu bɔne a
wɔyɛ wɔ owia yi ase.
4Na mihuu sɛ adwumayɛ mu ɔbrɛ ne nea onipa tumi yɛ nyinaa nnyinaso ne sɛ nʼani bere ne yɔnko. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, mmirika a wotu taa mframa.
5Ɔkwasea bobɔw ne nsa gu ne ho
na ɔsɛe ne ho.
6Nsammua baako a asomdwoe wɔ mu
ye sen nsammua abien a ɔbrɛ bata ho;
ɛte sɛ nea wotaa mframa.
7Afei nso mihuu biribi a ɛnka hwee wɔ owia yi ase:
8Na ɔbarima bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ ankonam;
onni ɔbabarima anaa onuabarima.
Nʼadwumaden amma nʼawie da,
nanso nʼani ansɔ nʼahonya.
Obisaa ne ho se, “Na hena na merebrɛ ama no,
na adɛn nti na mede anigye kame me kra?”
Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude,
ɛyɛ ɔhaw kwa.
9Baanu ye sen ɔbaakofo,
efisɛ wonya wɔn brɛ so mfaso a ɛsɔ ani:
10Sɛ ɔbaako hwe ase a
ne yɔnko betumi aboa no.
Nanso onipa a ɔhwe ase a
onni ɔboafo no, yɛ mmɔbɔ.
11Bio, sɛ baanu da bɔ mu a wɔka wɔn ho hyew.
Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na ankonam bɛka ne ho hyew?
12Ɔbaakofo de, wobetumi aka no ahyɛ
nanso baanu tumi pere wɔn ti.
Hama a wɔawɔ no mmɛsa no, wontumi ntetew mu ntɛm.
Nkɔso Yɛ Adehunu
13Ɔbabun nyansafo a odi hia ye sen ɔhene akwakoraa a ɔyɛ ɔkwasea na ontie kɔkɔbɔ bio. 14Ebia na ɔbabun no fi afiase na obedii ade anaasɛ wɔwoo no too ohia mu wɔ adehye abusua mu. 15Mihuu sɛ wɔn a wɔtenaa ase na wɔnantew owia yi ase nyinaa dii ɔbabun no akyi, nea odii ɔhene no ade no. 16Nnipadɔm a wontumi nkan wɔn dii nʼakyi. Nanso nkyirimma no ani annye ne ho. Eyi nso yɛ ahuhude, ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
