Proverbs 24
1 Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
2 for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
3 By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
6 Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
8 He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
9 A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
10 If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
11 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
Sɛ woka sɛ, “Na yɛnnim yei ho hwee a,” deɛ ɔkari akoma hwɛ no nhunu anaa? Deɛ ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim anaa? Ɔrentua deɛ obiara ayɛ so ka anaa?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
14 Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
15 Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
16 For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
19 Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
20 For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
21 My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
22 For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
24 Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ deɛ ɔdi fɔ sɛ, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
25 but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
26 An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
27 Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
30 I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
31 Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a ɔkura akodeɛ. Na ohia bɛto akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfoɔ.
