Proverbs 22
1 More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
Din pa ye sen ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wobedi wo ni ye sen dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2 The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
Ɔdefo ne ohiani wɔ ade baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfo.
3 A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
Onitefo hu amanehunu a ɛreba na ohintaw ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim konya amane.
4 The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
Ahobrɛase ne Awuradesuro ɛma ahonya ne anuonyam ne nkwa.
5 Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
Nsɔe ne mfiri wɔ amumɔyɛfo akwan so, nanso nea ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6 Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
Kyerɛ abofra ɔkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ onyin a ɔremfi so.
7 The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
Adefo di ahiafo so, na boseagyefo yɛ nea ɔde fɛm somfo.
8 He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
Nea odua amumɔyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuwhyew abaa.
9 A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Ɔyamyefo benya nhyira efisɛ ɔne ahiafo kyɛ nʼaduan.
10 Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
Pam ɔfɛwdifo na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwaw ne animka to atwa.
11 Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
Obi a ɔdɔ koma a mu tew na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam no, benya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12 The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofo nsɛm.
13 Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyiri hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wobekum me wɔ mmɔnten so.”
14 A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
Ɔbea waresɛefo anom yɛ amoa donkudonku; nea ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuw ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15 Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
Agyimisɛm kyekyere abofra koma ho, nanso nteɛso abaa bɛpam no akɔ akyiri.
16 He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Obi besisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya, anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefo ade, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
17 Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wo koma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18 For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
efisɛ eye sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wo koma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
19 That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
Sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo nnɛ, yiw ɛyɛ wo.
20 Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
Menkyerɛw mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, nea ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21 To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokware ne nea akyinnye nni ho, sɛnea wubenya mmuae pa ama nea ɔsomaa wo no ana?
22 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
Mmɔ ahiafo korɔn, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafo nti, na nsisi wɔn a wonni bi wɔ asennii,
23 For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
efisɛ Awurade bedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn, na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafo fa.
24 Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
Mfa obi a ne koma yɛ den no adamfo, na mfa wo ho mmɔ nea ne bo nkyɛ fuw,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
anyɛ saa a, wubesua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afiri mu.
26 Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
Nyɛ nea ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu anaasɛ odi akagyinamu;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
na sɛ wunni nea wɔde tua a wobehuam wo mpa mpo afi wʼase.
28 Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye, nea wo nenanom de sisii hɔ no.
29 Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
Wuhu obi a ne nsa akokwaw nʼadwuma ho ana? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwa anim.
