Proverbs 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
ma yɛmmemene wɔn anikann sɛ ɔda, koraa, te sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ ɔda mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
23 If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
27 when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
“Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
