Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father's instruction, and pay attention so you will know what understanding is.
Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2 I am giving you good instructions; do not forsake my teaching.
Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 When I was a son of my father, the tender and only child of my mother,
Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast to my words; keep my commands and live.
Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5 Acquire wisdom and understanding; do not forget and do not reject the words of my mouth;
Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6 do not abandon wisdom and she will watch over you; love her and she will keep you safe.
Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7 Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom and spend all you own so you can get understanding.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Cherish wisdom and she will exalt you; she will honor you when you embrace her.
Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9 She will put a wreath of honor on your head; she will give you a beautiful crown.”
Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Listen, my son, and pay attention to my words, and you will have many years in your life.
Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 I direct you in the way of wisdom; I lead you down straight paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12 When you walk, no one will stand in your way and if you run, you will not stumble.
Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it, for it is your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Do not follow the path of the wicked and do not go along the way of those who do evil.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it and go another way.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16 For they cannot sleep until they do evil and they are robbed of sleep until they cause someone to stumble.
Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
18 But the path of righteous people is like the first light that grows brighter; it shines more and more until the fullness of the day comes.
Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness— they do not know what it is they stumble over.
Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21 Do not let them turn away from your eyes; keep them in your heart.
Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
22 For my words are life to those who find them and health to their whole body.
efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
23 Keep your heart safe and guard it with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24 Put crooked speech away from you and put corrupt talk far from you.
Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead and fix your gaze straight before you.
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make a level path for your foot; then all your ways will be secure.
Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Do not turn aside to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
