Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
