Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
Aduane mmɔwe a asomdwoeɛ wɔ ho yɛ sene efie a apontoɔ ahyɛ no ma a nso basabasayɛ wɔ mu.
2 A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
Ɔsomfoɔ nyansafoɔ bɛdi ɔba nimguasefoɔ so, na ɔbɛnya ne kyɛfa wɔ agyapadeɛ no mu sɛ anuanom no mu baako.
3 A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
Kyɛmferɛ wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ nanso Awurade na ɔsɔ akoma hwɛ.
4 An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
Omumuyɛfoɔ tie nsusuiɛ bɔne; ɔtorofoɔ yɛ aso ma adwen bɔne tɛkrɛma.
5 Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
Deɛ ɔdi ahiafoɔ ho fɛ no bu wɔn Yɛfoɔ animtiaa; na deɛ ɔfoa amanehunu soɔ no bɛnya asotwe.
6 Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
Mmanananom yɛ mmasiriwa animuonyam, na awofoɔ yɛ wɔn mma ahohoahoa.
7 A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
Anokrokro nyɛ mma ɔkwasea, saa ara na ano a ɛdi torɔ mfata ɔhene.
8 A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
Kɛtɛasehyɛ daadaa deɛ ɔma; ɔgye sɛ ɛbɛma no nkonim.
9 Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
Deɛ ɔbu nʼani gu mfomsoɔ so no ma ɔdɔ ɛkwan, na deɛ ɔbɔ soɔ no tete nnamfonom ntam.
10 Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
Nkaanim sɔ onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu ani sene mmaa ɔha a wɔbɔ ɔkwasea.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
Onipa bɔnefoɔ ani wɔ atuateɛ nko ara so na wɔbɛsoma odwumayɛfoɔ tirimuɔdenfoɔ akɔ ne so.
12 The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛhyia sisire a wɔawia ne mma sene ɔkwasea a ɔregyimie.
13 Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
Sɛ obi de bɔne tua papa so ka a, bɔne rempa ne fie da.
14 The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
Ntɔkwa ahyɛaseɛ te sɛ deɛ wɔretue suka; enti gyae ma ɛnka na ankɔfa ɔham amma.
15 Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Sɛ wɔbɛgyaa deɛ ɔdi fɔ ne sɛ wɔbɛbu deɛ ɔdi bem kumfɔ no, Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
16 Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart—there is none?
Sika a ɛwɔ ɔkwasea nsam ho nni mfasoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɔnni botaeɛ biara sɛ ɔbɛhunu nyansa.
17 The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Adamfo kyerɛ ɔdɔ ɛberɛ nyinaa mu, wɔwo onua barima ma ahokyere berɛ.
18 A man lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
Obi a ɔnni adwene no na ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu nam so de si awowa ma ne yɔnko.
19 Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
Deɛ ɔpɛ ntɔkwa no dɔ bɔne; deɛ ɔsi ɛpono tentene no frɛfrɛ ɔsɛeɛ.
20 The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
Onipa a ɔwɔ akoma kontonkyi no nnya nkɔsoɔ; deɛ ne tɛkrɛma daadaa no tɔ amaneɛ mu.
21 Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
Deɛ ɔwo ɔba kwasea no di awerɛhoɔ; ɔba kwasea agya nni anigyeɛ.
22 A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
Akoma mu anigyeɛ yɛ aduro ɛsa yadeɛ, nanso honhom a apɛkyɛ no wewe nnompe.
23 The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
Omumuyɛfoɔ gye adanmudeɛ wɔ esum ase de kyea atɛntenenee.
24 The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
Onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no ani kɔ nyansa so, na ɔkwasea toto nʼani kɔsi asase ano.
25 A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, And bitterness to her bearing him.
Ɔba kwasea hyɛ nʼagya awerɛhoɔ, na ɔma deɛ ɔnyinsɛnee no no di yea.
26 Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔtwe deɛ ɔdi bem aso, anaasɛ wɔtwa adwumayɛfoɔ mmaa wɔ wɔn nokorɛdie enti.
27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
Ɔnimdefoɔ dwene nʼanom kasa ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu no wɔ abodwoɔ.
28 Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea yɛ dinn a wɔbu no sɛ ɔnyansafoɔ, na sɛ ɔmua nʼano a wɔbu no sɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu.
