Proverbs 1
1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
2 For knowing wisdom and instruction, For understanding sayings of intelligence,
Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
3 For receiving the instruction of wisdom, Righteousness, judgment, and uprightness,
sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
4 For giving to simple ones — prudence, To a youth — knowledge and discretion.
sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
5 (The wise doth hear and increaseth learning, And the intelligent doth obtain counsels.)
anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
6 For understanding a proverb and its sweetness, Words of the wise and their acute sayings.
ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
7 Fear of Jehovah [is] a beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and instruction fools have despised!
Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
8 Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother,
Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
9 For a graceful wreath [are] they to thy head, And chains to thy neck.
Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
10 My son, if sinners entice thee be not willing.
Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
11 If they say, 'Come with us, we lay wait for blood, We watch secretly for the innocent without cause,
Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
ma yɛmmemene wɔn anikann sɛ ɔda, koraa, te sɛ wɔn a wɔkɔ ɔda mu; (Sheol h7585)
13 Every precious substance we find, We fill our houses [with] spoil,
yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
14 Thy lot thou dost cast among us, One purse is — to all of us.'
fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
15 My son! go not in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path,
Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
16 For their feet to evil do run, And they haste to shed blood.
Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
17 Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.
So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
18 And they for their own blood lay wait, They watch secretly for their own lives.
Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
19 So [are] the paths of every gainer of dishonest gain, The life of its owners it taketh.
Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
20 Wisdom in an out-place crieth aloud, In broad places she giveth forth her voice,
Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
21 At the head of the multitudes she calleth, In the openings of the gates, In the city her sayings she saith:
ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
22 'Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge?
“Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
23 Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
24 Because I have called, and ye refuse, I stretched out my hand, and none is attending,
Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
25 And ye slight all my counsel, And my reproof ye have not desired.
sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
26 I also in your calamity do laugh, I deride when your fear cometh,
me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
27 When your fear cometh as destruction, And your calamity as a hurricane doth come, When on you come adversity and distress.
sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
28 Then they call me, and I do not answer, They seek me earnestly, and find me not.
“Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
29 Because that they have hated knowledge, And the fear of Jehovah have not chosen.
Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
30 They have not consented to my counsel, They have despised all my reproof,
sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
31 And they eat of the fruit of their way, And from their own counsels they are filled.
wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
32 For the turning of the simple slayeth them, And the security of the foolish destroyeth them.
Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
33 And whoso is hearkening to me dwelleth confidently, And [is] quiet from fear of evil!'
Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
