Proverbs 25
1 Also these are Proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed: —
Yeinom yɛ Salomo mmɛbusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufoɔ twerɛeɛ:
2 The honour of God [is] to hide a thing, And the honour of kings to search out a matter.
Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo animuonyam.
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings — [are] unsearchable.
Sɛdeɛ ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo akoma mu.
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel for the refiner goeth forth,
Sɛ wɔyi dwetɛ ho a, dwetɛdwumfoɔ tumi de yɛ adeɛ a ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ;
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And established in righteousness is his throne.
Yi amumuyɛfoɔ firi ɔhene anim, na tenenee bɛma nʼahennwa atim.
6 Honour not thyself before a king, And in the place of the great stand not.
Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere diberɛ wɔ atitire mu;
7 For better [that] he hath said to thee, 'Come thou up hither,' Than [that] he humble thee before a noble, Whom thine eyes have seen.
Ɛyɛ ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo sɛ, “Bra soro ha,” sene sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitire bi anim. Deɛ wode wʼani ahunu no
8 Go not forth to strive, haste, turn, What dost thou in its latter end, When thy neighbour causeth thee to blush?
mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asɛnniiɛ, na sɛ awieeɛ no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?
9 Thy cause plead with thy neighbour, And the secret counsel of another reveal not,
Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforɔ ahintasɛm adi,
10 Lest the hearer put thee to shame, And thine evil report turn not back.
anyɛ saa a, deɛ ɔbɛte no bɛgu wʼanim ase na edin bɔne a wobɛnya no rempepa da.
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
Asɛm a wɔka no sɛdeɛ ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesieɛ mu.
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
Sikakɔkɔɔ asomuadeɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ahyehyɛdeɛ te sɛ onyansafoɔ animka a ɔde ma deɛ ɔyɛ aso ma no.
13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And the soul of his masters he refresheth.
Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma ma ewiem dwoɔ wɔ otwa berɛ mu no saa ara na ɔsomafoɔ nokwafoɔ teɛ ma wɔn a wɔsoma no; na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
14 Clouds and wind, and rain there is none, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osutɔ mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛdeɛ a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
15 By long-suffering is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh a bone.
Ntoboaseɛ ma sodifoɔ ti da, na tɛkrɛmabereɛ tumi bu dompe mu.
16 Honey thou hast found — eat thy sufficiency, Lest thou be satiated [with] it, and hast vomited it.
Sɛ wonya ɛwoɔ a, enni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, Lest he be satiated [with] thee, and have hated thee.
Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fie, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying against his neighbour a false testimony.
Onipa a ɔdi adansekurumu tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ aporibaa, afena anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
Ɛse a ɛyare kaka anaa ɛnan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ deɛ wode wo ho to ɔtorofoɔ so hiada mu.
20 Whoso is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on nitre, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
Deɛ ɔto dwom kyere ɔwerɛhoni no te sɛ deɛ ɔpa ntoma gu awɔberɛ mu anaa te sɛ nsã nyinyanyinya a wɔhwie gu afransa soɔ.
21 If he who is hating thee doth hunger, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirst, cause him to drink water.
Sɛ ɛkɔm de wo ɔtamfoɔ a, ma no aduane nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsuo nnom.
22 For coals thou art putting on his head, And Jehovah giveth recompense to thee.
Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsoso gyasramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
23 A north wind bringeth forth rain, And a secret tongue — indignant faces.
Sɛdeɛ atifi fam mframa de osutɔ ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a ɛdi nsekuro de omuna ba.
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ ase mantweaa bi, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
Nsuonwunu a ɔkra a ato baha nya no te sɛ asɛmmɔdɛ a ɛfiri akyirikyiri.
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
Asutire a ahono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ, te sɛ ɔteneneeni a ɔgyaa ne ho ma amumuyɛfoɔ.
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one's own honour — honour.
Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ɛwoɔ ntrasoɔ, na ɛnyɛ fɛ nso sɛ obi pɛ animuonyam ma ne ho.
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
Onipa a ɔnni ahohyɛsoɔ no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasuo abubu agu fam.
