Proverbs 6
1 [My] son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.
Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
2 For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
3 [My] son, do what I command you, and deliver yourself; for on your friend's account you are come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even your friend for whom you are become surety.
ɛnneɛ yɛ yei, me ba, na fa tete wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka woɔ no nti: fa ahobrɛaseɛ kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;
Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
5 that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
8 he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labors kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
9 How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?
Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
10 You sleep a little, and you rest a little, and you slumber a short [time], and you fold your arms over your breast a little.
Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
11 Then poverty comes upon you as an evil traveller, and lack as a swift courier: but if you be diligent, your harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
14 [His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
20 [My] son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:
Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
21 but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.
Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
22 Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.
Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
24 to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
26 For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.
ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforɔ yere da no teɛ obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka noɔ no remfa ne ho nni da.
30 It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
Mmom sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtua ka mmɔho nson; sɛ ɛhia sɛ wɔtɔn ne fie agyapadeɛ nyinaa mpo a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtɔn.
32 But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.
Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
35 He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
