Ecclesiastes 4

NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)

NA-TWI — Nkwa Asem (NA-TWI)

Verse 1

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter.

Ɔko ne akasakasa a asi mo mu yi fi he? Efi mo ara mo akɔnnɔ a ɛne mo nipadua di asi no.

Verse 2

And I declared that the dead,
who had already died,
are happier than the living,
who are still alive.

Morepɛ nneɛma bi nanso morentumi nnya, ɛno nti moayɛ mo adwene sɛ mubedi awu. Mo ani abere denneenen repɛ nneɛma bi nanso mo nsa nka, enti akasakasa ne ɔko nam so ba. Nea morehwehwɛ no, mo nsa renka efisɛ, mummisa Onyankopɔn.

Verse 3

But better than both
is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
that is done under the sun.

Na sɛ mubisa koraa nso a, mo nsa renka, efisɛ, mowɔ adwemmɔne. Mubisa nneɛma a ɛyɛ mo akɔnnɔde.

Verse 4

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Nnipa a munni gyidi! Munnim sɛ, sɛ mofa wiase adamfo a, na moyɛ Onyankopɔn atamfo? Obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ wiase adamfo no dan Onyankopɔn tamfo.

Verse 5

Fools fold their hands
and ruin themselves.

Mususuw sɛ Kyerɛwsɛm a ɛka se, “Ninkunutwe ahyɛ honhom a Onyankopɔn de ahyɛ yɛn mu no ma” no wɔkaa no kwa?

Verse 6

Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.

Nanso adom a Onyankopɔn dom yɛn no dɔɔso yiye. Na Kyerɛwsɛm no ka se, “Onyankopɔn siw ahantanfo kwan, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefo.”

Verse 7

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

Enti momfa mo ho nhyɛ Onyankopɔn ase. Munsiw ɔbonsam kwan, na obeguan afi mo ho.

Verse 8

There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

Mommɛn Onyankopɔn, na ɔno nso bɛbɛn mo. Monhohoro mo nsa ho, mo nnebɔneyɛfo! Montew mo koma mu, mo nyaatwomfo!

Verse 9

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:

Munni awerɛhow, munsu, na muntwa agyaadwo; momma mo serew nnan su, na mo anigye nnan awerɛhow.

Verse 10

If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.

Mommrɛ mo ho ase mma Awurade, na ɔbɛma mo so.

Atemmu ne kɔkɔbɔ

Verse 11

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

Me nuanom, munnnidi mo ho nseku. Obiara a odi ne nua ho nseku anaa obu ne nua atɛn no, di Mmara no ho nseku. Na sɛ wubu Mmara no atɛn a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, afei de wunni Mmara no so na mmom wubu no atɛn.

Verse 12

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Advancement Is Meaningless

Onyankopɔn nko na ɔma mmara na obu atɛn. Ɔno nko na ogye nkwa na ɔsɛe. Wone hena a wubu wo yɔnko atɛn?

Ahohoahoa ne kɔkɔbɔ

Verse 13

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.

Mo a moka se, “Ɛnnɛ anaa ɔkyena yebetu kwan akɔ kurow bi so akodi afe akɔyɛ adwuma apɛ sika” no, muntie me.

Verse 14

The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.

Munnim nea ɛbɛto mo ɔkyena: Mote sɛ huruhuro a ɛba mmere tiaa bi na ayera.

Verse 15

I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor.

Asɛm a ɛsɛ sɛ moka ne sɛ, “Sɛ Awurade pɛ a, yɛbɛyɛ eyi anaa eyi.”

Verse 16

There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Nanso mprempren mohoahoa mo ho de mo nsa si mo bo; saa ahohoahoa no nyinaa yɛ bɔne.

Verse 17

— not in NIV

Enti nea onim papayɛ na ɔnyɛ no, ɛyɛ bɔne ma no.