Proverbs 25
1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
Yeinom yɛ Salomo mmɛbusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufoɔ twerɛeɛ:
2 God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo animuonyam.
3 Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
Sɛdeɛ ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo akoma mu.
4 Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
Sɛ wɔyi dwetɛ ho a, dwetɛdwumfoɔ tumi de yɛ adeɛ a ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ;
5 Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
Yi amumuyɛfoɔ firi ɔhene anim, na tenenee bɛma nʼahennwa atim.
6 Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere diberɛ wɔ atitire mu;
7 for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
Ɛyɛ ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo sɛ, “Bra soro ha,” sene sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitire bi anim. Deɛ wode wʼani ahunu no
8 don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asɛnniiɛ, na sɛ awieeɛ no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?
9 Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforɔ ahintasɛm adi,
10 otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
anyɛ saa a, deɛ ɔbɛte no bɛgu wʼanim ase na edin bɔne a wobɛnya no rempepa da.
11 Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
Asɛm a wɔka no sɛdeɛ ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesieɛ mu.
12 Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
Sikakɔkɔɔ asomuadeɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ahyehyɛdeɛ te sɛ onyansafoɔ animka a ɔde ma deɛ ɔyɛ aso ma no.
13 Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma ma ewiem dwoɔ wɔ otwa berɛ mu no saa ara na ɔsomafoɔ nokwafoɔ teɛ ma wɔn a wɔsoma no; na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
14 Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osutɔ mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛdeɛ a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
15 If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.
Ntoboaseɛ ma sodifoɔ ti da, na tɛkrɛmabereɛ tumi bu dompe mu.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
Sɛ wonya ɛwoɔ a, enni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
17 Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fie, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
18 Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
Onipa a ɔdi adansekurumu tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ aporibaa, afena anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
19 Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
Ɛse a ɛyare kaka anaa ɛnan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ deɛ wode wo ho to ɔtorofoɔ so hiada mu.
20 Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.
Deɛ ɔto dwom kyere ɔwerɛhoni no te sɛ deɛ ɔpa ntoma gu awɔberɛ mu anaa te sɛ nsã nyinyanyinya a wɔhwie gu afransa soɔ.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
Sɛ ɛkɔm de wo ɔtamfoɔ a, ma no aduane nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsuo nnom.
22 This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsoso gyasramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
23 In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
Sɛdeɛ atifi fam mframa de osutɔ ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a ɛdi nsekuro de omuna ba.
24 It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ ase mantweaa bi, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
25 Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
Nsuonwunu a ɔkra a ato baha nya no te sɛ asɛmmɔdɛ a ɛfiri akyirikyiri.
26 Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
Asutire a ahono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ, te sɛ ɔteneneeni a ɔgyaa ne ho ma amumuyɛfoɔ.
27 It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.
Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ɛwoɔ ntrasoɔ, na ɛnyɛ fɛ nso sɛ obi pɛ animuonyam ma ne ho.
28 Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
Onipa a ɔnni ahohyɛsoɔ no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasuo abubu agu fam.
