Proverbs 21
1 Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
Ɔhene koma da Awurade nsam; ɔkyerɛ no ɔkwan te sɛ asuten ma ɔkɔ baabiara a ɔpɛ.
2 People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
Onipa akwan nyinaa teɛ wɔ nʼani so, nanso Awurade na ɔkari koma.
3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
Sɛ woyɛ ade pa ne ade a ɛteɛ a, ɛsɔ Awurade ani sen afɔrebɔ.
4 Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
Ani a ɛtra ntɔn ne ahomaso koma, ne amumɔyɛfo asetena nyinaa yɛ bɔne!
5 People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
Nsiyɛfo nhyehyɛe de mfaso ba, sɛnea ntɛmpɛ kowie ohia no.
6 Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
Ahonya a nkontompo tɛkrɛma de ba no, ɛyɛ omununkum a etwa mu kɔ, na ɛsan yɛ owu afiri.
7 Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
Amumɔyɛfo basabasayɛ bɛtwe wɔn akɔ, efisɛ wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ.
8 Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
Onipa a odi fɔ no akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, na nea ne ho nni asɛm no nneyɛe teɛ.
9 It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
Suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi tena ye sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
10 Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
Omumɔyɛfo kɔn dɔ bɔne; onni ahummɔbɔ mma ne yɔnko.
11 When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
Sɛ wɔtwe ɔfɛwdifo aso a, ntetekwaafo hu nyansa, sɛ wɔkyerɛkyerɛ onyansafo a, onya nimdeɛ.
12 [God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
Ɔtreneeni no hu nea ɛrekɔ so wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi, na ɔde omumɔyɛfo no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
13 There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
Sɛ onipa sisiw nʼaso wɔ mmɔborɔni su ho a, ɔno nso besu afrɛ, na wɔrennye no so.
14 When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
Kokoa mu adekyɛ dwudwo koma, kɛtɛasehyɛ nso pata abufuwhyew.
15 Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
Sɛ wubu atɛntrenee a, atreneefo ani gye, nanso ɛyɛ ahunahuna ma abɔnefo.
16 Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
Onipa a ɔman fi nhumu kwan so no bɛhome wɔ awufo fekuw mu.
17 Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
Nea odi ahosɛpɛw akyi no bɛyɛ ohiani; nea ɔpɛ nsa ne ngo no rennya ne ho da.
18 Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
Amumɔyɛfo de wɔn nkwa to hɔ ma atreneefo, na atorofo yɛ saa ma wɔn a wɔyɛ pɛ.
19 It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
Eye sɛ wobɛtena sare so, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo a ne koma haw no no bɛtena.
20 Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
Nnuan pa ne ngo ayɛ onyansafo fi ma, nanso ɔkwasea di nea ɔwɔ nyinaa.
21 Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
Nea otiw trenee ne ɔdɔ no nya nkwa, yiyedi ne anuonyam.
22 A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
Onyansafo tow hyɛ ahoɔdenfo kuropɔn so, na odwiriw abandennen a wɔn werɛ hyɛ mu no gu fam.
23 Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
Nea ɔkora nʼano ne ne tɛkrɛma no twe ne ho fi amanenya ho.
24 Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
Ɔhantanni a ɔma ne ho so no, ne din ne “Ɔfɛwdifo” ɔde ahantan ntraso yɛ ade.
25 Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
Nea ɔkwadwofo kɔn dɔ no bɛyɛ owu ama no, efisɛ ne nsa mpɛ adwumayɛ.
26 All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
Da mu nyinaa ɔpere sɛ obenya bebree, nanso ɔtreneeni de, ɔma a ɔnnodow ho.
27 [Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
Omumɔyɛfo afɔrebɔ yɛ akyiwade, ne titiriw ne sɛ ɔde adwemmɔne bata ho.
28 Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
Ɔdansekurumni bɛyera, na wɔbɛsɛe obiara a otie no no nso.
29 Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
Amumɔyɛfo di akakabensɛm, na ɔtreneeni de, osusuw nʼakwan ho.
30 [Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
Nyansa, nhumu ne nhyehyɛe biara nni hɔ a ebetumi ayɛ yiye atia Awurade.
31 We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
Wosiesie apɔnkɔ ma ɔko da, nanso nkonimdi yɛ Awurade dea.
