Proverbs 6
1 My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
3 So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
ɛnneɛ yɛ yei, me ba, na fa tete wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka woɔ no nti: fa ahobrɛaseɛ kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
4 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
5 Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
6 Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
10 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
22 They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
23 For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
26 You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
27 Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforɔ yere da no teɛ obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka noɔ no remfa ne ho nni da.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
31 But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
Mmom sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtua ka mmɔho nson; sɛ ɛhia sɛ wɔtɔn ne fie agyapadeɛ nyinaa mpo a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtɔn.
32 Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
