< Proverbs 3 >
1 My son, forget not my teaching; but let thy heart keep my commandments;
Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
2 For length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to thee.
na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the table of thy heart;
Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 So shalt thou find grace and good favour in the sight of God and man.
Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.
Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.
hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil;
Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither spurn thou His correction;
Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
12 For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that obtaineth understanding.
Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
15 She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour.
Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdest her fast.
Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens.
Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
20 By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion;
Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thou shalt not dash thy foot.
Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
25 Be not afraid of sudden terror, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;
Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
26 For the LORD will be thy confidence, and will keep thy foot from being caught.
Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
27 Withhold not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour: 'Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give'; when thou hast it by thee.
Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
31 Envy thou not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
32 For the perverse is an abomination to the LORD; but His counsel is with the upright.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked; but He blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
34 If it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them, but unto the humble He giveth grace.
Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
35 The wise shall inherit honour; but as for the fools, they carry away shame.
Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.