Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
2 Keep my commandments and live. Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,
Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
10 Look, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
14 "Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
“Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
18 Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
19 For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.
Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a stag leaping into a trap,
Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
23 till an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.
kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 Now therefore, son, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
