Proverbs 1
1 The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
2 To know wisdom, and instruction:
Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:
sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
4 To give subtilty to little ones, to the young man knowledge and understanding.
sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
5 A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser: and he that understandeth, shall possess governments.
anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 He shall understand a parable, and the interpretation, the words of the wise, and their mysterious sayings.
ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 That grace may be added to thy head, and a chain of gold to thy neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
10 My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
11 If they shall say: Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide snares for the innocent without cause:
Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
12 Let us swallow him up alive like hell, and whole as one that goeth down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
ma yɛmmemene wɔn anikann sɛ ɔda, koraa, te sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ ɔda mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoils.
yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
14 Cast in thy lot with us, let us all have one purse.
fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
15 My son, walk not thou with them, restrain thy foot from their paths.
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
17 But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.
So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
18 And they themselves lie in wait for their own blood, and practise deceits against their own souls.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 So the wage of every covetous man destroy the souls of the possessors.
Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom preacheth abroad, she uttereth her voice in the streets:
Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
21 At the head of multitudes she crieth out, in the entrance of the gates of the city she uttereth her words, saying:
ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
22 O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet those things which are hurtful to themselves, and the unwise hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
23 Turn ye at my reproof: behold I will utter my spirit to you, and will shew you my words.
Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
24 Because I called, and you refused: I stretched out my hand, and there was none that regarded.
Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
25 You have despised all my counsel, and have neglected my reprehensions.
sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
26 I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared.
me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
27 When sudden calamity shall fall on you, and destruction, as a tempest, shall be at hand: when tribulation and distress shall come upon you:
sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
28 Then shall they call upon me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and shall not find me:
“Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
29 Because they have hated instruction and received not the fear of the Lord,
Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
30 Nor consented to my counsel, but despised all my reproof.
sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and shall be filled with their own devices.
wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
32 The turning away of little ones shall kill them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But he that shall hear me, shall rest without terror, and shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils.
Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
