Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.
Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
3 A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honor, and life.
Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Nkasɛɛ ne mfidie wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ akwan so, nanso deɛ ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
13 The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
14 The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD shall fall therein.
Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15 Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches], [and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
Obi bɛsisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefoɔ adeɛ, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
17 Bow down thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18 For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keepest them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wʼakoma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send to thee?
a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokorɛ ne deɛ akyinnyeɛ nni ho, sɛdeɛ wobɛnya mmuaeɛ pa ama deɛ ɔsomaa woɔ no anaa?
22 Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Mmɔ ahiafoɔ korɔno, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ enti, na nnsisi wɔn a wɔnni bie wɔ asɛnniiɛ,
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
26 Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
na sɛ wonni deɛ wɔde tua a wɔbɛhwan wo mpa mpo afiri wʼase.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
