Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
2 Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers. Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
4 Say to wisdom, Thou are my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman,
Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
5 that they may keep thee from the interloping woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice,
Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
7 and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding
Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
8 passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house,
Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman attired like a harlot, and wily of heart.
Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
11 She is loud and headstrong. Her feet abide not in her house.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lies in wait at every corner.
nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him,
Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
14 Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. I have paid my vows this day.
“Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 Therefore I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning. Let us solace ourselves with love.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
19 For the man is not at home. He has gone a long journey.
Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
21 With her much fair speech she causes him to yield. With the flattering of her lips she forces him along.
Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
22 He goes after her straightaway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
23 till an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare. And he does not know that it is for his life.
kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her paths.
Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
26 For she has cast down many wounded. Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
