< Proverbs 2 >

1 My son, if you will take my words to your heart, storing up my laws in your mind;
Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
2 So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge;
sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
3 Truly, if you are crying out for good sense, and your request is for knowledge;
na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
4 If you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth;
na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
5 Then the fear of the Lord will be clear to you, and knowledge of God will be yours.
ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahunu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; out of his mouth come knowledge and reason:
Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne nteaseɛ firi ba.
7 He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil;
Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
8 He keeps watch on the ways which are right, and takes care of those who have the fear of him.
ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
9 Then you will have knowledge of righteousness and right acting, and upright behaviour, even of every good way.
Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
10 For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasing to your soul;
Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
11 Wise purposes will be watching over you, and knowledge will keep you;
Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
12 Giving you salvation from the evil man, from those whose words are false;
Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
13 Who give up the way of righteousness, to go by dark roads;
na wɔmane firi akwan pa so kɔnante esum akwan so,
14 Who take pleasure in wrongdoing, and have joy in the evil designs of the sinner;
wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wɔdi ahurisie wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
15 Whose ways are not straight, and whose footsteps are turned to evil:
wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
16 To take you out of the power of the strange woman, who says smooth words with her tongue;
Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
17 Who is false to the husband of her early years, and does not keep the agreement of her God in mind:
deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
18 For her house is on the way down to death; her footsteps go down to the shades:
Ne fie yɛ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ owuo mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufoɔ honhom nkyɛn.
19 Those who go to her do not come back again; their feet do not keep in the ways of life:
Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
20 So that you may go in the way of good men, and keep in the footsteps of the upright.
Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
21 For the upright will be living in the land, and the good will have it for their heritage.
Ɛfiri sɛ wɔn a wɔtene bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
22 But sinners will be cut off from the land, and those whose acts are false will be uprooted.
na wɔbɛtwa amumuyɛfoɔ afiri asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofoɔ ase.

< Proverbs 2 >