Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
2 Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
3 Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
5 that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
8 crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
9 at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
10 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
11 She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
14 “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
“Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
16 I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
20 He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
