< Proverbs 2 >
1 MY son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Me ba, sɛ wutie me nsɛm, na woma me mmaransɛm tena wo mu a,
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wo koma ma ntease,
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
na woma wo nne so frɛ nhumu na wusu frɛ ntease,
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛnea wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wohwehwɛ no sɛnea worepɛ ademude a ahintaw a,
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne ntease fi ba.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Ɔkora nkonimdi ma wɔn a wɔteɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
ɔwɛn nea ɔyɛ pɛ kwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wodi no nokware no akwan ho ban.
9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Ɛno na wobɛte nea eye ne nea ɛyɛ pɛ, ne nea ɛfata, ɔkwan biara a eye ase.
10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Afei nyansa bewura wo koma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na ntease ahwɛ wo so.
12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Nyansa beyi wo afi amumɔyɛfo akwan mu, ebeyi wo afi nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
wɔn a wɔaman afi akwan pa so akɔnantew sum akwan so no,
14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wodi ahurusi wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsam wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Nimdeɛ begye wo afi ɔbea waresɛefo no nsam, afi ɔbea warefo huhuni a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
nea wagyaa ne mmabaabere mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Ne fi yɛ ɔkwan a ɛkɔ owu mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufo honhom nkyɛn.
19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsan mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Enti wubedi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanantew atreneefo akwan so.
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Efisɛ wɔn a wɔteɛ bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
na wobetwa amumɔyɛfo afi asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofo ase.