Proverbs 7
1 [My] son, keep my words, and hide with you my commandments. [My] son, honour the Lord, and you shall be strong; and fear none but him:
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
2 keep my commandments, and you shall live; and [keep] my words as the pupils of [your] eyes.
Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
3 And bind them on your fingers, and write [them] on the table of your heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
4 Say that wisdom is your sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for yourself;
Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
5 that she may keep you from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail you with flattering words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,
Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
7 passing by the corner in the passages near her house,
Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
8 and speaking, in the dark of the evening,
Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
9 when there happens [to be] the stillness of night and of darkness:
bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
10 and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.
Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
11 And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
12 For at one time she wanders without, and at [another] time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.
nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,
Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
14 I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:
“Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 therefore I came forth to meet you, desiring your face; [and] I have found you.
Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
16 I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt.
Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
17 I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon.
Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
18 Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
19 For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey,
Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
20 having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house.
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
21 So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from [the right path].
Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
22 And he followed her, being gently led on, and [that] as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow:
Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
23 and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for [his] life.
kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 Now then, [my] son, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways:
Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
26 for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable.
Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
