Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ deɛ ɛsi wʼanim no yie,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
Nni nʼaduane akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi, ɛfiri sɛ saa aduane no daadaa nnipa.
4 Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika; hunu nyansa na to wo bo ase.
5 Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ɛbɛfu ntaban na atu akɔ ewiem sɛ ɔkɔdeɛ.
6 Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛɛ aduane nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduane akyi;
7 for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
ɛfiri sɛ ɔyɛ obi a ɛberɛ biara ɔdwene sika ho. Ɔka sɛ, “Didi na nom,” nanso ɛnyɛ nʼakoma mu.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe na ɛno enti wo nkamfo ho remma mfasoɔ.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea, ɛfiri sɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ ngu, na ntra hyeɛ nkɔ nwisiaa mfuo mu,
11 for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn Gyefoɔ yɛ den, na ɔbɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Ma wʼakoma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
13 Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
Ntwentwɛne abɔfra ntenesoɔ so; sɛ wode abaa tene no a, ɔrenwu.
Fa abaa twe nʼaso na gye ne kra firi owuo mu. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
Me ba, sɛ wʼakoma hunu nyansa a, ɛnneɛ mʼakoma ani bɛgye;
16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
sɛ wʼano ka deɛ ɛtene a me mu adeɛ nyinaa ani bɛgye.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
Mma wʼani mmerɛ abɔnefoɔ, mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden ɛberɛ biara.
18 Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
Ampa ara anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ ɔkwa.
19 Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
Me ba, tie, na hunu nyansa, ma wʼakoma mfa ɛkwan tenenee so.
20 Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafoɔ anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ ɛnam mmorosoɔ,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
ɛfiri sɛ, akɔwensafoɔ ne adidibradafoɔ bɛyɛ ahiafoɔ, na anikum fira wɔn ntomago.
22 Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo woɔ no, na sɛ wo maame bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtia.
23 Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Tɔ nokorɛ na ntɔn da; nya nyansa, ahohyɛsoɔ ne nhunumu.
24 The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
Ɔteneneeni agya wɔ anigyeɛ bebree; deɛ ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafoɔ no anigye ne ho.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
Ma wʼagya ne wo maame ani nnye; ma ɔbaa a ɔwoo woɔ no nnya ahosɛpɛ.
26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
Me ba, fa wʼakoma ma me na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
na odwamanfoɔ yɛ amena donkudonku ɔyere sansani yɛ ɔdaadaafoɔ.
28 She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
Ɔtɛ, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ɔma mmarima mu atorofoɔ dɔɔso.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Hwan na wɔadome no? Hwan na ɔdi awerɛhoɔ? Hwan na ɔdi apereapereɛ? Hwan na ɔnwiinwii? Hwan na wapirapira hunaa? Hwan na mogya ada nʼani so?
30 Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
Wɔn a wɔkyɛre nsã ho, na wɔka nsã a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
31 Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
Nhwɛ nsã ani kɔkɔɔ no haa, ɛberɛ a ɛretwa yerɛ yerɛ wɔ kuruwa mu, na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
32 In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
Awieeɛ no ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ na ɛwɔ borɔ te sɛ ahurutoa.
33 Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
Wʼani bɛhunu nneɛma a wonhunuu da, na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
34 You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a, ɔkura ɛhyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ɛdenkye denkye wɔ ɛpo so.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
Na wobɛka sɛ, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mempira. Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyea biara. Ɛberɛ bɛn na menyane akɔpɛ nsã anom bio?”
