Proverbs 22
1 A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
3 A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life.
Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the fraudulent: he that does keep his soul shall be far from them.
Nkasɛɛ ne mfidie wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ akwan so, nanso deɛ ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
8 He that sows iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
9 He that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he gives of his bread to the poor.
Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
11 He that loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthrows the words of the transgressor.
Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
13 The slothful man says, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
16 He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Obi bɛsisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefoɔ adeɛ, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
17 Bow down your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge.
Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; they shall with be fitted in your lips.
ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wʼakoma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
19 That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to you this day, even to you.
Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
20 Have not I written to you excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21 That I might make you know the certainty of the words of truth; that you might answer the words of truth to them that send to you?
a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokorɛ ne deɛ akyinnyeɛ nni ho, sɛdeɛ wobɛnya mmuaeɛ pa ama deɛ ɔsomaa woɔ no anaa?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Mmɔ ahiafoɔ korɔno, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ enti, na nnsisi wɔn a wɔnni bie wɔ asɛnniiɛ,
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you shall not go:
Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
25 Lest you learn his ways, and get a snare to your soul.
anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
26 Be not you one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
27 If you have nothing to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
na sɛ wonni deɛ wɔde tua a wɔbɛhwan wo mpa mpo afiri wʼase.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which your fathers have set.
Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
29 See you a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
