Proverbs 1
1 THE PROVERBS of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmɛbusɛm nie:
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding;
Ne botaeɛ ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ma wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity;
sɛ wɔbɛnya ahohyɛsoɔ na wɔabɔ ɔbra pa, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, deɛ ɛtene na ɛho nni asɛm;
4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion;
sɛ ɛbɛma deɛ nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabunu anya nimdeɛ ne adwene.
5 That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels;
Anyansafoɔ ntie na wɔmfa nka deɛ wɔnim ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
ɛbɛma woate mmɛ ne akasabɛbuo, anyansafoɔ nsɛnka ne aborɔme ase.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ ahyɛaseɛ, na nkwaseafoɔ bu nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ animtiaa.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 For they shall be a chaplet of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo tiri animuonyam abotire ne wo kɔn mu ntweaban.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfoɔ daadaa wo a, mma wɔn ho ɛkwan.
11 If they say: 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk for the innocent without cause;
Sɛ wɔka sɛ, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛ na yɛnkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛ ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
ma yɛmmemmene wɔn anikann sɛ ɛda, yɛmmene wɔn sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ damena mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil;
yɛbɛnya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahodoɔ na yɛde afodeɛ ahyɛ yɛn afie ma;
14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse' —
enti, fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wobɛnya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyadeɛ no mu” a,
15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them, restrain thy foot from their path;
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnante, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Wɔn nan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔherɛ ka mogya gu.
17 For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;
Ɛho nni mfasoɔ sɛ obi bɛsum nnomaafidie wɔ ɛberɛ a nnomaa nyinaa hwɛ!
18 And these lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk for their own lives.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛ pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛ wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Saa na wɔn a wɔdi korɔnodeɛ akyi no awieeɛ teɛ; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom crieth aloud in the streets, she uttereth her voice in the broad places;
Nyansa team wɔ mmɔntene so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ adwaberem,
21 She calleth at the head of the noisy streets, at the entrances of the gates, in the city, she uttereth her words:
ɔteaam wɔ afasuo no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apono ano sɛ,
22 'How long, ye thoughtless, will ye love thoughtlessness? And how long will scorners delight them in scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenemherɛfoɔ, mobɛyɛ adwenemherɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Fɛdifoɔ bɛdi fɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Nkwaseafoɔ bɛkyiri nimdeɛ akɔsi da bɛn?
23 Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Sɛ motiee mʼaninka a, anka mekaa mʼakoma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo maa mo hunuu me nsusuiɛ.
24 Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man attended,
Nanso, sɛ moyii mo aso ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho ɛberɛ a metenee me nsa mu,
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;
sɛ mopoo mʼafotuo, na moampɛ mʼanimka enti,
26 I also, in your calamity, will laugh, I will mock when your dread cometh;
me nso mɛsere mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, medi mo ho fɛw,
27 When your dread cometh as a storm, and your calamity cometh on as a whirlwind; when trouble and distress come upon you.
sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ twahoframa, na awerɛhoɔ ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
28 Then will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me earnestly, but they shall not find me.
“Afei mobɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua mo; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso morenhunu me.
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD;
Esiane sɛ wɔkyirii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobɛsuro Awurade.
30 They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof.
Esiane sɛ w ɔpoo mʼafotuo, na wɔbuu me ntenesoɔ animtiaa enti,
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
wɔbɛdi wɔn akwan so aba na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ mu aduane bɛmee wɔn.
32 For the waywardness of the thoughtless shall slay them, and the confidence of fools shall destroy them.
Na ntetekwaafoɔ asoɔden bɛkum wɔn, na nkwaseafoɔ tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.'
Nanso, obiara a ɔbɛtie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
