Proverbs 3
1 My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
2 For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
3 Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
5 Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
6 In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
7 Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
8 This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
9 Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
10 So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
11 My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
12 For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
13 Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
14 For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
15 She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
16 Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
17 Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
18 She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
19 The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
20 By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
21 My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
22 So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
23 Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
24 When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
25 Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
26 For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
27 Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
28 Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
29 Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
30 Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
31 Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
32 For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
34 He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
35 The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
