Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight 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 retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
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 the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
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 don’t know what they stumble over.
Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
22 For they 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 with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
