Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
3 Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
4 And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
6 For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
7 Wisdom is as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
8 He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
9 The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
11 Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
12 If thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
Sɛ woka sɛ, “Na yɛnnim yei ho hwee a,” deɛ ɔkari akoma hwɛ no nhunu anaa? Deɛ ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim anaa? Ɔrentua deɛ obiara ayɛ so ka anaa?
13 My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy taste;
Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
14 So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
19 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
20 For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
23 These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
24 He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ deɛ ɔdi fɔ sɛ, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
25 But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
26 He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
29 Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.'
Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
32 Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
33 'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
34 So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a ɔkura akodeɛ. Na ohia bɛto akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfoɔ.
