Proverbs 26
1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma te ahuhuro berɛ anaasɛ osutɔ te wɔ otwa berɛ no saa ara na animuonyam mfata ɔkwasea.
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
Sɛdeɛ apatuprɛ tuo anaasɛ asomfena tu danedane ne ho no, saa ara na nnuabɔ hunu nsi hwee.
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
Ɔkafoɔ abaa wɔ hɔ ma ɔpɔnkɔ, nnareka wɔ hɔ ma afunumu, na abaa wɔ hɔ ma nkwaseafoɔ akyi.
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Nhwɛ ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so mma no mmuaeɛ, anyɛ saa a wo nso bɛyɛ sɛ ɔno.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Gyina ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so ma no mmuaeɛ anyɛ saa a ɛbɛyɛ no sɛ ɔnim nyansa.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
Sɛ wode nkra bi soma ɔkwasea a, ɛte sɛ woatwa wʼankasa nan anaasɛ woafrɛ basabasayɛ.
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
Apakye nan a awu na ɛsensɛn hɔ no, yɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
Ɛboɔ a wɔakyekyere afam ahwimmoɔ so, te sɛ animuonyam a wɔde ama ɔkwasea.
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
Nkasɛɛ dua a ɛkura ɔkɔwensani no te sɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Deɛ ɔbɔ ɔkwasea anaa obi hunu paa no te sɛ agyantoni a ɔpira nnipa kwa.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
Sɛdeɛ ɔkraman sane kɔ ne feɛ ho no, saa ara na ɔkwasea ti nʼagyimisɛm mu.
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
Woahunu obi a ɔyɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ nʼankasa ani so? Anidasoɔ pii wɔ ɔkwasea mu sene no.
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata wɔ ɛkwan no mu, gyata nenam mmɔntene no so!”
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
Sɛdeɛ ɛpono di akɔneaba wɔ ne mponterɛ so no, saa ara na ɔkwadwofoɔ twa ne ho wɔ ne mpa so.
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ de ne nsa si aduane mu, na ɛyɛ no aniha sɛ ɔbɛyi akɔ nʼano.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ yɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ ɔno ankasa ani so sene nnipa baason a wɔdwene asɛm ho na wɔabua.
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
Obi a ɔsɔ ɔkraman aso twe noɔ no te sɛ obi a ɔretwam na ɔde ne ho kɔfra ntɔkwa a ɛmfa ne ho mu.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
Ɔbɔdamfoɔ a ɔtoto atuo anaa agyan kɔdiawuo no
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
te sɛ obi a, ɔdaadaa ne yɔnko na ɔka sɛ, “Na mede redi agorɔ!”
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
Yensin hi a, ogya dum; nsekuro nni hɔ a ntɔkwa toɔ twa.
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
Sɛdeɛ gyabidie dane gyasramma na anyina dane ogya no, saa ara na ntɔkwapɛfoɔ hyɛ ntɔkwa mu kutupa.
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
Osekuni anom asɛm te sɛ mfremfremadeɛ; ɛwurawura kɔ onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
Sɛdeɛ wɔde dwetɛ fi adura asankago ho no saa ara na anoɔdɛ kata amumuyɛ akoma so.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
Onipa bɔne kasa te sɛ deɛ ɔyɛ, nanso nnaadaa ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
Ɛwom sɛ ne kasa yɛ dɛ deɛ, nanso ɛnnye no nni, ɛfiri sɛ akyiwadeɛ nson ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
Ebia nnaadaa bɛkata nʼadwemmɔne so, nanso nʼamumuyɛsɛm bɛda adi wɔ badwa mu.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
Sɛ onipa tu amena a, ɔbɛto mu; sɛ onipa pire ɔboɔ a, ɛbɛsane aba ne so.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
Atorɔ tɛkrɛma kyiri wɔn a ɔgu wɔn ho fi, na nnaadaa ano de ɔsɛeɛ ba.
