Proverbs 16
1 It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
Akoma mu nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ onipa dea, na tɛkrɛma mmuaeɛ firi Awurade.
2 All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
Ɛyɛ onipa sɛ nʼakwan nyinaa yɛ kronn nanso Awurade na ɔpɛɛpɛɛ adwene mu.
3 Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
Fa deɛ woyɛ nyinaa hyɛ Awurade nsam, na wo nhyehyɛeɛ bɛsi yie.
4 The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
Awurade yɛ biribiara ma nʼankasa botaeɛ, mpo, ɔhwɛ omumuyɛfoɔ kɔsi amanehunu da.
5 All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
Awurade kyiri akoma mu ahantanfoɔ nyinaa. Nya saa nteaseɛ yi sɛ, wɔremfa wɔn ho nni.
6 By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
Wɔnam ɔdɔ ne nokorɛ so pata bɔne; onipa nam Awurade suro so yi bɔne akwa.
7 When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
Sɛ onipa akwan sɔ Awurade ani a, ɔma nʼatamfoɔ mpo ne no tena asomdwoeɛ mu.
8 Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
Kakraa bi a wɔnam tenenee kwan so nya no yɛ sene mfasoɔ pii a wɔnam ntɛnkyea so nya.
9 The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
Onipa yɛ ne nhyehyɛeɛ wɔ nʼakoma mu, nanso Awurade na ɔhwɛ nʼanammɔntuo.
10 Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
Ɔhene anomu kasa te sɛ nkɔmhyɛ, enti ɛnsɛ sɛ nʼano ka deɛ ɛnyɛ atɛntenenee.
11 Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
Nsania ne abrammoɔ a nsisie nni mu firi Awurade; nkariboɔ a ɛwɔ kotokuo mu no, ɔno na ɔyɛeɛ.
12 Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
Ahemfo kyiri bɔneyɛ, ɛfiri sɛ ahennwa si tenenee so.
13 Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
Ahemfo ani sɔ ano a ɛka nokorɛ; na wɔbu onipa a ɔka nokorɛ.
14 The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ yɛ owuo somafoɔ, nanso onyansafoɔ bɛdwodwo ano.
15 In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
Sɛ ɔhene anim te a, ɛyɛ nkwa, nʼadom te sɛ osutɔberɛ mu osumuna.
16 Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛnya nyansa sene sɛ wobɛnya sikakɔkɔɔ, sɛ wobɛnya nhunumu sene sɛ wobɛnya dwetɛ!
17 The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
Ɔteneneeni kwantempɔn kwati bɔne; deɛ ɔhwɛ nʼakwan yie no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
18 Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
Ahantan di ɔsɛeɛ anim, na ahomasoɔ honhom nso di ahweaseɛ anim.
19 It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛyɛ honhom mu hiani wɔ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so mu sene sɛ wo ne ahantanfoɔ bɛkyɛ afodeɛ.
20 The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
Deɛ ɔyɛ ɔsetie ma nkyerɛkyerɛ no nya nkɔsoɔ; nhyira nka deɛ ɔde ne ho to Awurade so.
21 Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
Wɔfrɛ akoma mu anyansafoɔ sɛ nhunumufoɔ, na kasa pa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
22 Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
Nteaseɛ yɛ nkwa nsutire ma wɔn a wɔwɔ bi, nanso agyimisɛm de asotweɛ brɛ nkwaseafoɔ.
23 The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
Onyansafoɔ akoma kyerɛ nʼano kwan, na nʼanofafa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
24 Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
Abodwosɛm te sɛ ɛwokyɛm ɛyɛ ɔkra dɛ, na ɛsa nnompe yadeɛ.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
Ɛkwan bi wɔ hɔ a ɛyɛ wɔ onipa ani so, nanso ɛkɔwie owuo mu.
26 The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
Odwumayɛfoɔ akɔnnɔ ma no yɛ adwuma den; ɛfiri sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkum ne kɔm.
27 The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
Ohuhuni bɔ pɔ bɔne, ne kasa te sɛ egyadɛreɛ a ɛhye adeɛ.
28 A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
Onipa kɔntɔnkye de mpaapaemu ba, na osekuni tete nnamfonom ntam.
29 A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
Basabasayɛni daadaa ne yɔnko na ɔde no fa ɛkwammɔne so.
30 Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
Deɛ ɔbu nʼani no redwene bɔneyɛ ho; na deɛ ɔmua nʼano no ani wɔ bɔne so.
31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
Ɛdwono yɛ animuonyam abotire; tenenee mu asetena na ɛde ba.
32 A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
Deɛ ɔwɔ abodwokyerɛ no yɛ sene ɔkofoɔ, na deɛ ɔmfa abufuo yɛ sene deɛ ɔko fa kuropɔn.
33 Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.
Wɔtwe ntonto de hwehwɛ deɛ Awurade pɛ, nanso ne gyinasie biara firi Awurade.
