Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honour it, that it may embrace you;
Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
Teneneefoɔ kwan te sɛ adekyeɛ hann a ɛdi ɛkan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yie kɔduru awia ketee.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wɔhunu ne akwahosan ma onipadua no nyinaa.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
