Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
Nsa yɛ ɔfɛdifoɔ na nsaden yɛ ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; na obiara a nsã bɛma wafom ɛkwan no nnyɛ onyansafoɔ.
2 Like the roaring of a young lion is the dread of a king: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ te sɛ gyata mmobom; na deɛ ɔhyɛ no abufuo no de nkwa twa so.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
4 Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
5 Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the man of understanding will draw it out.
Onipa akoma apɛdeɛ yɛ subunu mu, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no twetwe.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but who can find a faithful man?
Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
7 The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahennwa so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhu bɔne nyinaa so gu.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart pure, I am cleansed from my sin.
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
Nkariboɔ ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
12 The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hunu adeɛ, Awurade na wayɛ ne mmienu.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thy eyes, so wilt thou be satisfied with bread.
Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; ɛnna, na wobɛnya aduane ama abu so.
14 It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then doth he boast.
Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhwenepa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ nna.
16 Take away his garment, because he hath become surety for a stranger; and on account of a strange woman take a pledge from him.
Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
17 Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
18 Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct war.
Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that enticeth with his lips.
Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother—his lamp shall be quenched in obscure darkness.
Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
21 An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
Agyapadeɛ a wɔpere ho nya no ahyɛaseɛ no renyɛ nhyira akyire no.
22 Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help thee.
Nka sɛ, “Mɛtua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na ɔbɛgye wo.
23 Divers weights are an abomination of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
24 From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he understand his own way?
Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
25 It is a snare to a man to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
27 A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
28 Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
Ɔdɔ ne nokorɛdie bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔeɛ ma nʼahennwa tim.
29 The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
30 The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
