1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
3A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.
8What advantage have the wise over fools?
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.
10Whatever exists has already been named,
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
1Mahunu bɔne foforɔ bi wɔ owia yi ase a ɛhyɛ nnipa so yie: 2Onyankopɔn ma onipa ahonyadeɛ, adenya ne animuonyam sɛdeɛ biribiara a nʼakoma pɛ no ɛmmɔ no, nanso Onyankopɔn amma no kwan sɛ ɔmfa nnye nʼani, na ɔhɔhoɔ mmom na ɔde gye nʼani. Yei yɛ ahuhudeɛ, ɔhaw a ɛyɛ yea.
3Onipa bɛtumi anya mma ɔha na wanyini akyɛre; nanso ne mfeɛ dodoɔ yi akyi no, nʼahonya no amma nʼani annye, na ne sie nso anyɛ fɛ a, ɔpɔn ba ho wɔ mfasoɔ sene no. 4Ne ba no yɛ adehunu, esum mu na ɔkorɔ, na esum akata ne din so. 5Ɛwom sɛ wanhunu owia na ɔnnim hwee deɛ, nanso ɔbɛnya ahomegyeɛ bebree sene deɛ saa ɔbarima no bɛnya. 6Mpo sɛ ɔtena ase mfeɛ apem mmɔho na wammfa nʼahonyadeɛ annye nʼani a, wɔn nyinaa nkɔ faako anaa?
7Onipa brɛ nyinaa yɛ nʼano ntia,
nanso nʼakɔnnɔdeɛ mmee no da.
8Na ɛdeɛn na onyansafoɔ wɔ de sene ɔkwasea?
Sɛ ohiani yɛ nʼakwan yie wɔ afoforɔ anim a
mfasoɔ bɛn na ɔbɛnya?
9Deɛ aniwa hunu no
yɛ sene deɛ akɔnnɔ kyini hwehwɛ.
Yei nso yɛ ahuhudeɛ.
Ɛte sɛ wotaa mframa.
10Deɛ ɛwɔ hɔ biara, wɔato edin dada,
na sɛdeɛ onipa teɛ nso, wɔnim dada;
onipa biara rentumi ne deɛ ɔwɔ ahoɔden
sene noɔ nnye yei ho akyinnyeɛ.
11Nsɛm dɔɔso a,
emu aba yɛ kakraa bi,
na ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ ma onipa anaa?
12Na hwan na ɔnim deɛ ɛyɛ ma onipa wɔ ne nkwanna kakra bi a ɛyɛ ahuhudeɛ na ɔfa mu kɔ sɛ sunsumma no? Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka deɛ ɛbɛsi wɔ owia yi ase akyerɛ no ɛberɛ a ɔkorɔ no.
