Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel.
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
2 They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
4 They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
5 Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
7 Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
8 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
10 My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
11 They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
ma yɛmmemene wɔn anikann sɛ ɔda, koraa, te sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ ɔda mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
14 Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
15 My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
17 There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
18 However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
21 She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
22 “How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
23 Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
24 For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
25 You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
26 So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
27 When panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on 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 you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
“Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
29 Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
30 They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
31 So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
32 Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
