Proverbs 24
1 Be thou not envious of bad men, and do not long to be with them.
Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
2 For their heart meditateth destruction, and of mischief do their lips speak.
Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
3 Through wisdom is a house built; and through understanding is it firmly established;
Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
4 And through knowledge are chambers filled with all manner of precious and pleasant wealth.
ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
5 A wise man is [always] in power; and a man of knowledge fortifieth [his] strength.
Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
6 For by wise counsel canst thou conduct thy war; and there is help in a multitude of counsellors.
nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: in the gate can he not open his mouth.
Nyansa wɔ soro dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apon ano aguabɔ mu no, ɛnsɛ sɛ wobue wɔn ano.
8 Him that deviseth to do evil, men call a master of wicked devices.
Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
9 The counsel of folly is sin; and an abomination to men is the scorner.
Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
10 If thou despond on the day of distress, thy strength is small.
Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
11 Deliver those that are taken unto death, and those that are moved away to the slaughter hold back.
Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
12 If thou shouldst say, Behold, we know not this man: lo, he that weigheth hearts will truly regard it, and he that keepeth thy soul will surely know it; and he will give a recompense to man according to his doing.
Sɛ woka se, “Na yennim eyi ho hwee a,” nea ɔkari koma hwɛ no nhu ana? Nea ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim ana? Ɔrentua nea obiara ayɛ so ka ana?
13 Eat honey, my son, because it is good; and the fine honey, which is sweet to thy palate:
Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
14 So obtain the knowledge of wisdom for thy soul: when thou hast found her, then shall there be a [happy] future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
15 Lie not in wait, O wicked man! against the dwelling of the righteous; waste not his resting-place;
Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
16 For though the righteous were to fall seven times, he will rise up again; but the wicked shall stumble into misfortune.
Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔtreneeni hwe ase mpɛn ason de, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumɔyɛfo de amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
17 At the fall of thy enemy do not rejoice; and at his stumbling let not thy heart be glad:
Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
18 Lest the Lord see it and it be displeasing in his eyes, and he turn away from him his wrath.
efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the wicked;
Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti, na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
20 For there will be no [happy] future for the bad man: the lamp of the wicked will be quenched.
efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
21 My son, fear the Lord and the king: with those that are desirous to change do not mingle thyself;
Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ atuatewfo ho,
22 For suddenly will their calamity arise; and who knoweth the ruin of both of them!
efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim; na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
23 These things also are for the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
24 Him that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, will the people denounce, him will nations hold accursed;
Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ nea odi fɔ se, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no, nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
25 But to those that punish delight shall be given, and upon them shall come the blessing of the good.
Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
26 Men will kiss the lips of him that giveth a proper answer.
Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
27 Prepare without thy work, and make it fit in the field for thyself: and afterward build thy house.
Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
28 Be not without cause a witness against thy neighbor; for wouldst thou beguile with thy lips?
Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
29 Say not, As he hath done to me so will I do to him: I will recompense every man according to his doing.
Nka se, “Nea wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; nea ɔyɛe no mitua no so ka.”
30 By the field of a slothful man I once passed along, and by the vineyard of a man void of sense:
Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, nettles had covered its surface, and its stone-wall was broken down.
nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara, wura afuw akata asase no so, na abo afasu no nso abubu.
32 And when I had indeed beheld [this] I took it to my heart: I saw it, and received a warning.
Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
33 “A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra
34 But then will thy poverty come like a rover; and thy wants as a man armed with a shield.
bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a okura akode. Na ohia bɛtow akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafo; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfowerɛmfo.
