Proverbs 22
1 A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2 Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
3 The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
4 The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
5 Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
Nkasɛɛ ne mfidie wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ akwan so, nanso deɛ ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6 Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
7 The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
8 Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
9 The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
10 Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
11 Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12 The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
13 The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
14 A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
16 He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
Obi bɛsisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefoɔ adeɛ, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18 For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for 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 Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
20 Have I not written to thee three times With counsels and knowledge?
Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21 To cause thee to know the certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending 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, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
Mmɔ ahiafoɔ korɔno, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ enti, na nnsisi wɔn a wɔnni bie wɔ asɛnniiɛ,
23 For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
24 Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
25 Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
26 Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
na sɛ wonni deɛ wɔde tua a wɔbɛhwan wo mpa mpo afiri wʼase.
28 Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
29 Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
