Proverbs 28
1 Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
Omumuyɛfoɔ dwane ɛberɛ a obiara ntaa no, nanso teneneefoɔ koko yɛ duru sɛ agyata.
2 When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
Atuateɛ ɔman nya sodifoɔ pii, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu ne nimdeɛ ma mmara yɛ adwuma.
3 A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
Sodifoɔ a ɔhyɛ ahiafoɔ so no te sɛ brampɔnsuo a ɛsɛe mfudeɛ.
4 Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
Wɔn a wɔpo mmara no kamfo amumuyɛfoɔ, na wɔn a wɔdi mmara so no si wɔn kwan.
5 Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
Abɔnefoɔ nte atɛntenenee ase, nanso wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ Awurade no, te aseɛ yie.
6 It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
Ohiani a ne nanteɛ ho nni asɛm yɛ sene ɔdefoɔ a nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye.
7 Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
Deɛ ɔdi mmara so yɛ ɔba a ɔwɔ nhunumu, nanso deɛ ɔne adidibradafoɔ bɔ no gu nʼagya anim ase.
8 When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
Deɛ ɔgye mfɛntom mmorosoɔ de nya ne ho no ɔboaboa ano ma deɛ ɔbɛyɛ ahiafoɔ adɔeɛ.
9 If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
Sɛ obi nni mmara so a, ne mpaeɛbɔ mpo yɛ akyiwadeɛ.
10 Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
Deɛ ɔdi teneneefoɔ anim de wɔn fa ɛkwan bɔne so no bɛhwe ɔno ankasa afidie mu, nanso wɔn a wɔn ho nni asɛm no bɛnya agyapadeɛ a ɛyɛ.
11 [Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
Ɔdefoɔ tumi yɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ nʼankasa ani so, nanso ohiani a ɔwɔ nhunumu no hunu sɛdeɛ ɔteɛ.
12 When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
Sɛ teneneefoɔ di nkonim a, nnipa di ahurisie pii; nanso sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ nya tumi a nnipa kɔhinta.
13 Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
Onipa a ɔkata ne bɔne soɔ no nnya nkɔsoɔ, na deɛ ɔka ne bɔne na ɔgyae yɛ no nya ahummɔborɔ.
14 [God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
Nhyira nka deɛ ɔsuro Awurade ɛberɛ nyinaa, nanso deɛ ɔpirim nʼakoma no tɔ amaneɛ mu.
15 Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
Omumuyɛfoɔ a ɔdi nnipa a wɔnni mmoa so no te sɛ gyata a ɔbobɔm anaa sisire a nʼani abereɛ.
16 Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
Sodifoɔ tirimuɔdenfoɔ nni adwene, na deɛ ɔkyiri mfasoɔ a wɔnam ɛkwan bɔne so nya no bɛnya nkwa tenten.
17 Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
Deɛ awudie ma ne tiboa bu no fɔ no, ɔbɛyɛ ɔkobɔfoɔ akɔsi ne wu da; mma obiara mmɔ ne ho ban.
18 Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
Deɛ ne nanteɛ ho nni asɛm no, wɔgye no firi ɔhaw mu, nanso deɛ nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye no bɛhwe ase mpofirim.
19 Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
Deɛ ɔyɛ nʼasase so adwuma no bɛnya aduane pii, nanso deɛ ɔdwene nneɛma hunu ho no bɛnya ne so ne ne hia.
20 [God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
Wɔbɛhyira onipa nokwafoɔ pii, na deɛ ɔpere pɛ ahonyadeɛ no remfa ne ho nni.
21 It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
Animhwɛ nyɛ, nanso aduane kakra enti nnipa yɛ bɔne.
22 Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
Deɛ ɔyɛ pɛpɛɛ pere sɛ ɔbɛyɛ ɔdefoɔ na ɔnnim sɛ ohia retwɛn no.
23 Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
Deɛ ɔka obi anim no bɛsɔ nnipa ani akyire asene deɛ ɔwɔ tɛkrɛmadɛ.
24 Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
Deɛ ɔbɔ nʼagya anaa ne maame korɔno na ɔka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ bɔne” no, ɔne ɔsɛefoɔ na ɛbɔ.
25 Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
Ɔdifodepɛfoɔ de mpaapaemu ba na deɛ ɔde ne ho to Awurade so no bɛnya nkɔsoɔ.
26 Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
Deɛ ɔgye ne ho die no yɛ ɔkwasea, na deɛ ɔnante nyansa mu no wɔbɛgye no.
27 Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
Deɛ ɔma ahiafoɔ no, hwee renhia no, nanso deɛ ɔbu nʼani gu wɔn so no nya nnome pii.
28 When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
Sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ nya tumi a, nnipa kɔhinta; na sɛ amumuyɛfoɔ ase tɔre a, teneneefoɔ ase dɔre.
