Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2 For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 For, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before my mother.
Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
4 And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6 Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7 The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9 She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12 In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13 Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15 Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16 For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
18 And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20 My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21 Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
22 For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
23 Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24 Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
