Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
2 to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding,
Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,
sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
4 to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion,
sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
5 that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels,
anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. The foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 For they shall be a garland of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
11 If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
ma yɛmmemene wɔn anikann sɛ ɔda, koraa, te sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ ɔda mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil.
yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
14 Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag.
fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path.
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,
So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
18 and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.
Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.
Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:
ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
23 Turn back at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make my words known to you.
Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
24 Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man has regarded,
Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
25 but ye have made all my counsel void, and want none of my reproof,
sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear comes,
me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
27 when your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
“Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
29 because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah.
Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
30 They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
31 Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
32 For the backsliding of the simple shall kill them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But he who hearkens to me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
