Proverbs 7
1 My son, heed my advice, and guard my instructions [as you would] [MET] [guard] a treasure.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
2 Obey my commands, and [as a result you will] live [a good life]. Consider the things that I teach you [to be very precious]; guard them, [just] like you protect your eyes.
Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
3 Tie my commands around your fingers [in order that they will remind you to obey them]. Always keep them in mind [MET].
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
4 [Love] wisdom [like you love] your sister. Understand what is wise, [and let that be as dear to you as] members of your family.
Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
5 If you are wise and if you understand what is wise [PRS], you will not [sleep with] an immoral woman; you will not listen to a woman who tries to entice you [to sleep with her] by what she says.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 One day, I was standing at the window inside my house, and I looked outside.
Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
7 I saw some young men who did not have good sense. Among them was a man who was very foolish.
Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
8 He crossed the street near [the house of] an immoral woman. He was walking along the path toward her house
Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
9 at twilight, when it was getting dark [DOU].
bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
10 Suddenly the woman came out to see/meet him. She was dressed (seductively/like a prostitute), wanting to persuade him to sleep with her.
Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
11 She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious; she [SYN] never stayed at home.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
12 She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets, waiting to trap some man.
nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 [When she saw that young man], she put her arms around him and kissed him. Then without being a bit ashamed, she said,
Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
14 “I have [some meat that is left over from] a sacrifice that I made today [to maintain fellowship with Yahweh]; I have fulfilled/done what I promised him that I would do.
“Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 And now I have come out to meet/see you. I was searching for you, and [now] I have found you!
Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
16 I have put on my bed sheets/bedspreads that were made from [very fine] linen [that were imported] {[people brought]} from Egypt.
Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
17 I have sprinkled [sweet-smelling] perfumes on my bed— myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.
Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
18 Come [with me]; let us enjoy having sex until [tomorrow] morning. Let’s enjoy making love.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone away on a long journey.
Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
20 He is carrying a wallet filled with money, and he will not return until the middle of this month.”
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
21 [So] she persuaded him by [her] enticing/tempting words. She allured him by her smooth/sweet talk.
Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
22 [And] he went with her immediately, like an ox that was going to where it would be slaughtered, or like a deer (OR, a fool) that is stepping into a noose/trap,
Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
23 where it will remain/stay until someone shoots an arrow into its liver [and kills it]. [He was] like a bird that flew into a trap. He did not know that (it would cost him his life/he would die as a result).
kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 My son, listen to what I say; pay [careful] attention to my words.
Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
25 Do not allow anything to arouse/persuade you to go with an immoral woman like that. Do not go where she goes.
Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
26 She has caused many men to be ruined; truly, no one can count the men she has killed.
Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
