Proverbs 3
1 My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
2 because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
3 Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
5 Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
6 Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
7 Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
8 If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
9 Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
10 If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
11 My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
12 [I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
13 [Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
14 Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
15 Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
16 On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
17 If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
18 Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
19 By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
20 By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
21 My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
22 you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
23 If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
24 You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
25 You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
26 because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
27 If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
28 If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
29 Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
30 If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
31 Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
32 [I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
33 Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
34 Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
35 Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
