Proverbs 4
1 Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2 For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
4 who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5 and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6 And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you;
Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9 that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12 For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13 Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15 In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16 For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
18 But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
19 But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20 [My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21 that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
22 For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
23 Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24 Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
