Proverbs 1
1 These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmɛbusɛm nie:
2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
Ne botaeɛ ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ma wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
sɛ wɔbɛnya ahohyɛsoɔ na wɔabɔ ɔbra pa, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, deɛ ɛtene na ɛho nni asɛm;
4 To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
sɛ ɛbɛma deɛ nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabunu anya nimdeɛ ne adwene.
5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
Anyansafoɔ ntie na wɔmfa nka deɛ wɔnim ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
ɛbɛma woate mmɛ ne akasabɛbuo, anyansafoɔ nsɛnka ne aborɔme ase.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ ahyɛaseɛ, na nkwaseafoɔ bu nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ 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 maame nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo tiri animuonyam abotire ne wo kɔn mu ntweaban.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfoɔ daadaa wo a, mma wɔn ho ɛkwan.
11 If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
Sɛ wɔka sɛ, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛ na yɛnkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛ ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
ma yɛmmemmene wɔn anikann sɛ ɛda, yɛmmene wɔn sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ damena mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
yɛbɛnya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahodoɔ na yɛde afodeɛ ahyɛ yɛn afie ma;
14 Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
enti, fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wobɛnya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyadeɛ no mu” a,
15 my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnante, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
Wɔn nan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔherɛ ka mogya gu.
17 How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
Ɛho nni mfasoɔ sɛ obi bɛsum nnomaafidie wɔ ɛberɛ a nnomaa nyinaa hwɛ!
18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛ pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛ 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 wɔdi korɔnodeɛ akyi no awieeɛ teɛ; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
Nyansa team wɔ mmɔntene so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ adwaberem,
21 in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
ɔteaam wɔ afasuo no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apono ano sɛ,
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 adwenemherɛfoɔ, mobɛyɛ adwenemherɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Fɛdifoɔ bɛdi fɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Nkwaseafoɔ bɛkyiri nimdeɛ akɔsi 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 motiee mʼaninka a, anka mekaa mʼakoma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo maa mo hunuu me nsusuiɛ.
24 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
Nanso, sɛ moyii mo aso ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho ɛberɛ a metenee me nsa mu,
25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
sɛ mopoo mʼafotuo, na moampɛ mʼanimka enti,
26 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
me nso mɛsere mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, medi 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 twahoframa, na awerɛhoɔ 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 mobɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua mo; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso morenhunu me.
29 For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
Esiane sɛ wɔkyirii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobɛsuro Awurade.
30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
Esiane sɛ w ɔpoo mʼafotuo, na wɔbuu me ntenesoɔ animtiaa enti,
31 So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
wɔbɛdi wɔn akwan so aba na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ mu aduane bɛmee wɔn.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
Na ntetekwaafoɔ asoɔden bɛkum wɔn, na nkwaseafoɔ tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
Nanso, obiara a ɔbɛtie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
