Proverbs 3
1 [My] son, forget not my laws; but let thine heart keep my words:
Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
2 for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; but bind them about thy neck:
Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 so shalt thou find favour: and do thou provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
5 Trust in God with all thine heart; and be not exalted in thine own wisdom.
Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
6 In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.
hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
7 Be not wise in thine own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
8 Then shall there be health to thy body, and good keeping to thy bones.
Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
9 Honour the Lord with thy just labours, and give him the first of thy fruits of righteousness:
Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
10 that thy storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that thy presses may burst forth with wine.
na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
11 [My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
12 for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
13 Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
14 For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
15 And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
16 For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
17 Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
18 She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
19 God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
20 By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
21 [My] son, let [them] not pass from [thee], but keep my counsel and understanding:
Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
22 that thy soul may live, and that there may be grace round thy neck; and it shall be health to thy flesh, and safety to thy bones:
ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
23 that thou mayest go confidently in peace in all thy ways, and that thy foot may not stumble.
Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
24 For if thou rest, thou shalt be undismayed; and if thou sleep, thou shalt slumber sweetly.
sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
25 And thou shalt not be afraid of alarm coming upon thee, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
26 For the Lord shall be over all thy ways, and shall establish thy foot that thou be not moved.
Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
27 Forbear not to do good to the poor, whensoever thy hand may have [power] to help [him].
Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
28 Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while thou art able to do [him] good: for thou knowest not what the next day will bring forth.
Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
29 Devise not evil against thy friend, living near thee and trusting in thee.
Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
30 Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do thee some harm.
Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
31 Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do thou covet their ways.
Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
32 For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
33 The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
34 The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
35 The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
