Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
2 Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
3 Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
5 that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
8 crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
9 at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
10 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning 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 defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
14 “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
“Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
16 I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
20 He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him 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, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
