Proverbs 5
1 [My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply your ear to my words;
Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
2 that you may keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives you a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
3 for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases your palate:
Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
4 but afterwards you will find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
5 For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
Ne nan kɔ owuo mu; nʼanammɔntutuo kɔ ɛda mu tee. (Sheol h7585)
6 For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
7 Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
8 Remove your way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
9 lest you give away your life to others, and your substance to the merciless:
anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
10 lest strangers be filled with your strength, and your labors come into the houses of strangers;
anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
11 And you repent at last, when the flesh of your body is consumed,
Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
12 and you shall say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
13 I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
15 Drink waters out of your own vessels, and out of your own springing wells.
Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
16 Let not waters out of your fountain be spilt by you, but let your waters go into your streets.
Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
17 Let them be only your own, and let no stranger partake with you.
Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
18 Let your fountain of water be [truly] your own; and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
19 Let [your] loving hart and your graceful colt company with you, and let her be considered your own, and be with you at all times; for ravished with her love you shall be greatly increased.
Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bereɛ dɔfoɔ, ɔwansane animuonyamfoɔ. Ma ne nufoɔ nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
20 Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold yourself in the arms of a woman not your own.
Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
22 Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
23 Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
