Proverbs 3
1 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
10 And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
13 O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
14 For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
15 Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her.
Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
16 Length of days [is] in her right hand, In her left [are] wealth and honour.
Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
17 Her ways [are] ways of pleasantness, And all her paths [are] peace.
Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
18 A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
32 For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
33 The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
