Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ deɛ ɛsi wʼanim no yie,
2 and cut down if you have a big appetite.
Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
3 Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
Nni nʼaduane akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi, ɛfiri sɛ saa aduane no daadaa nnipa.
4 Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika; hunu nyansa na to wo bo ase.
5 It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ɛbɛfu ntaban na atu akɔ ewiem sɛ ɔkɔdeɛ.
6 Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛɛ aduane nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduane akyi;
7 for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
ɛfiri sɛ ɔyɛ obi a ɛberɛ biara ɔdwene sika ho. Ɔka sɛ, “Didi na nom,” nanso ɛnyɛ nʼakoma mu.
8 You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe na ɛno enti wo nkamfo ho remma mfasoɔ.
9 Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea, ɛfiri sɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
10 Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ ngu, na ntra hyeɛ nkɔ nwisiaa mfuo mu,
11 for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn Gyefoɔ yɛ den, na ɔbɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
12 Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
Ma wʼakoma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
13 Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
Ntwentwɛne abɔfra ntenesoɔ so; sɛ wode abaa tene no a, ɔrenwu.
Fa abaa twe nʼaso na gye ne kra firi owuo mu. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
Me ba, sɛ wʼakoma hunu nyansa a, ɛnneɛ mʼakoma ani bɛgye;
16 I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
sɛ wʼano ka deɛ ɛtene a me mu adeɛ nyinaa ani bɛgye.
17 Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
Mma wʼani mmerɛ abɔnefoɔ, mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden ɛberɛ biara.
18 for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
Ampa ara anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ ɔkwa.
19 Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
Me ba, tie, na hunu nyansa, ma wʼakoma mfa ɛkwan tenenee so.
20 Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafoɔ anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ ɛnam mmorosoɔ,
21 For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
ɛfiri sɛ, akɔwensafoɔ ne adidibradafoɔ bɛyɛ ahiafoɔ, na anikum fira wɔn ntomago.
22 Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo woɔ no, na sɛ wo maame bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtia.
23 Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Tɔ nokorɛ na ntɔn da; nya nyansa, ahohyɛsoɔ ne nhunumu.
24 Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
Ɔteneneeni agya wɔ anigyeɛ bebree; deɛ ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafoɔ no anigye ne ho.
25 Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
Ma wʼagya ne wo maame ani nnye; ma ɔbaa a ɔwoo woɔ no nnya ahosɛpɛ.
26 My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
Me ba, fa wʼakoma ma me na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
27 A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
na odwamanfoɔ yɛ amena donkudonku ɔyere sansani yɛ ɔdaadaafoɔ.
28 Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
Ɔtɛ, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ɔma mmarima mu atorofoɔ dɔɔso.
29 Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
Hwan na wɔadome no? Hwan na ɔdi awerɛhoɔ? Hwan na ɔdi apereapereɛ? Hwan na ɔnwiinwii? Hwan na wapirapira hunaa? Hwan na mogya ada nʼani so?
30 —those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
Wɔn a wɔkyɛre nsã ho, na wɔka nsã a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
31 Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
Nhwɛ nsã ani kɔkɔɔ no haa, ɛberɛ a ɛretwa yerɛ yerɛ wɔ kuruwa mu, na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
32 In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
Awieeɛ no ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ na ɛwɔ borɔ te sɛ ahurutoa.
33 You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
Wʼani bɛhunu nneɛma a wonhunuu da, na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
34 You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a, ɔkura ɛhyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ɛdenkye denkye wɔ ɛpo so.
35 “People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
Na wobɛka sɛ, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mempira. Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyea biara. Ɛberɛ bɛn na menyane akɔpɛ nsã anom bio?”
