Proverbs 5
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding,
Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
2 that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.
sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,
Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
Nʼanan kɔ owu mu; nʼanammɔntutu kɔ ɔda mu tee. (Sheol h7585)
6 She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.
Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
8 Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,
Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
9 lest you give your honour to others, and your years to the cruel one;
anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labours enrich another man’s house.
anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
11 You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
12 and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.
Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
13 I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin, amongst the gathered assembly.”
Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
15 Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
17 Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.
Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
18 Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.
Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
21 For the ways of man are before the LORD’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
23 He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
