Proverbs 26
1 Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma te ahuhuro berɛ anaasɛ osutɔ te wɔ otwa berɛ no saa ara na animuonyam mfata ɔkwasea.
2 A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
Sɛdeɛ apatuprɛ tuo anaasɛ asomfena tu danedane ne ho no, saa ara na nnuabɔ hunu nsi hwee.
3 Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
Ɔkafoɔ abaa wɔ hɔ ma ɔpɔnkɔ, nnareka wɔ hɔ ma afunumu, na abaa wɔ hɔ ma nkwaseafoɔ akyi.
4 Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
Nhwɛ ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so mma no mmuaeɛ, anyɛ saa a wo nso bɛyɛ sɛ ɔno.
5 Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
Gyina ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so ma no mmuaeɛ anyɛ saa a ɛbɛyɛ no sɛ ɔnim nyansa.
6 Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
Sɛ wode nkra bi soma ɔkwasea a, ɛte sɛ woatwa wʼankasa nan anaasɛ woafrɛ basabasayɛ.
7 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
Apakye nan a awu na ɛsensɛn hɔ no, yɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
8 Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
Ɛboɔ a wɔakyekyere afam ahwimmoɔ so, te sɛ animuonyam a wɔde ama ɔkwasea.
9 A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
Nkasɛɛ dua a ɛkura ɔkɔwensani no te sɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
10 Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
Deɛ ɔbɔ ɔkwasea anaa obi hunu paa no te sɛ agyantoni a ɔpira nnipa kwa.
11 Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
Sɛdeɛ ɔkraman sane kɔ ne feɛ ho no, saa ara na ɔkwasea ti nʼagyimisɛm mu.
12 Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
Woahunu obi a ɔyɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ nʼankasa ani so? Anidasoɔ pii wɔ ɔkwasea mu sene no.
13 Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata wɔ ɛkwan no mu, gyata nenam mmɔntene no so!”
14 A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
Sɛdeɛ ɛpono di akɔneaba wɔ ne mponterɛ so no, saa ara na ɔkwadwofoɔ twa ne ho wɔ ne mpa so.
15 Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ de ne nsa si aduane mu, na ɛyɛ no aniha sɛ ɔbɛyi akɔ nʼano.
16 In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ yɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ ɔno ankasa ani so sene nnipa baason a wɔdwene asɛm ho na wɔabua.
17 Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
Obi a ɔsɔ ɔkraman aso twe noɔ no te sɛ obi a ɔretwam na ɔde ne ho kɔfra ntɔkwa a ɛmfa ne ho mu.
18 You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
Ɔbɔdamfoɔ a ɔtoto atuo anaa agyan kɔdiawuo no
19 if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
te sɛ obi a, ɔdaadaa ne yɔnko na ɔka sɛ, “Na mede redi agorɔ!”
20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
Yensin hi a, ogya dum; nsekuro nni hɔ a ntɔkwa toɔ twa.
21 An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
Sɛdeɛ gyabidie dane gyasramma na anyina dane ogya no, saa ara na ntɔkwapɛfoɔ hyɛ ntɔkwa mu kutupa.
22 Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
Osekuni anom asɛm te sɛ mfremfremadeɛ; ɛwurawura kɔ onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
23 Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
Sɛdeɛ wɔde dwetɛ fi adura asankago ho no saa ara na anoɔdɛ kata amumuyɛ akoma so.
24 People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
Onipa bɔne kasa te sɛ deɛ ɔyɛ, nanso nnaadaa ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
25 When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
Ɛwom sɛ ne kasa yɛ dɛ deɛ, nanso ɛnnye no nni, ɛfiri sɛ akyiwadeɛ nson ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
26 Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
Ebia nnaadaa bɛkata nʼadwemmɔne so, nanso nʼamumuyɛsɛm bɛda adi wɔ badwa mu.
27 Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
Sɛ onipa tu amena a, ɔbɛto mu; sɛ onipa pire ɔboɔ a, ɛbɛsane aba ne so.
28 If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
Atorɔ tɛkrɛma kyiri wɔn a ɔgu wɔn ho fi, na nnaadaa ano de ɔsɛeɛ ba.
