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 mʼahyɛdeɛ 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 mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
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; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono 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 sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ 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 afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 One day, I was standing at the window inside my house, and I looked outside.
Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
7 I saw some young men who did not have good sense. Among them was a man who was very foolish.
Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
8 He crossed the street near [the house of] an immoral woman. He was walking along the path toward her house
Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
9 at twilight, when it was getting dark [DOU].
ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu 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 ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
11 She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious; she [SYN] never stayed at home.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
12 She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets, waiting to trap some man.
ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ 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,
Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
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 ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ 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 mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu 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 aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
17 I have sprinkled [sweet-smelling] perfumes on my bed— myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.
Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
18 Come [with me]; let us enjoy having sex until [tomorrow] morning. Let’s enjoy making love.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone away on a long journey.
Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
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 sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
21 [So] she persuaded him by [her] enticing/tempting words. She allured him by her smooth/sweet talk.
Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
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,
Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie 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).
kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 My son, listen to what I say; pay [careful] attention to my words.
Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ 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 akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
26 She has caused many men to be ruined; truly, no one can count the men she has killed.
Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
