Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Din pa ye sen ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wobedi wo ni ye sen dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2 The rich and poor meet together; Jehovah is the maker of them all.
Ɔdefo ne ohiani wɔ ade baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfo.
3 A prudent [man] seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Onitefo hu amanehunu a ɛreba na ohintaw ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim konya amane.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of Jehovah is riches, and honour, and life.
Ahobrɛase ne Awuradesuro ɛma ahonya ne anuonyam ne nkwa.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the perverse: he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them.
Nsɔe ne mfiri wɔ amumɔyɛfo akwan so, nanso nea ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6 Train up the child according to the tenor of his way, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Kyerɛ abofra ɔkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ onyin a ɔremfi so.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Adefo di ahiafo so, na boseagyefo yɛ nea ɔde fɛm somfo.
8 He that soweth unrighteousness shall reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath shall have an end.
Nea odua amumɔyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuwhyew abaa.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Ɔyamyefo benya nhyira efisɛ ɔne ahiafo kyɛ nʼaduan.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention will depart, and strife and ignominy shall cease.
Pam ɔfɛwdifo na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwaw ne animka to atwa.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, upon whose lips is grace, the king is his friend.
Obi a ɔdɔ koma a mu tew na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam no, benya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12 The eyes of Jehovah preserve knowledge; but he overthroweth the words of the unfaithful.
Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofo nsɛm.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without, I shall be killed in the streets!
Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyiri hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wobekum me wɔ mmɔnten so.”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep ditch: he with whom Jehovah is displeased shall fall therein.
Ɔbea waresɛefo anom yɛ amoa donkudonku; nea ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuw ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15 Folly is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Agyimisɛm kyekyere abofra koma ho, nanso nteɛso abaa bɛpam no akɔ akyiri.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, it is to enrich him; he that giveth to the rich, [bringeth] only to want.
Obi besisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya, anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefo ade, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge.
Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wo koma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee: they shall be together fitted on thy lips.
efisɛ eye sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wo koma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
19 That thy confidence may be in Jehovah, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
Sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo nnɛ, yiw ɛyɛ wo.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things, in counsels and knowledge,
Menkyerɛw mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, nea ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokware ne nea akyinnye nni ho, sɛnea wubenya mmuae pa ama nea ɔsomaa wo no ana?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate;
Mmɔ ahiafo korɔn, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafo nti, na nsisi wɔn a wonni bi wɔ asennii,
23 for Jehovah will plead their cause, and despoil the soul of those that despoil them.
efisɛ Awurade bedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn, na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafo fa.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and go not with a furious man;
Mfa obi a ne koma yɛ den no adamfo, na mfa wo ho mmɔ nea ne bo nkyɛ fuw,
25 lest thou learn his paths, and get a snare to thy soul.
anyɛ saa a, wubesua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afiri mu.
26 Be not of them that strike hands, of them that are sureties for debts:
Nyɛ nea ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu anaasɛ odi akagyinamu;
27 if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
na sɛ wunni nea wɔde tua a wobehuam wo mpa mpo afi wʼase.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.
Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye, nea wo nenanom de sisii hɔ no.
29 Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.
Wuhu obi a ne nsa akokwaw nʼadwuma ho ana? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwa anim.
