Ɔsɛnkafo 10
1 Sɛnea nwansena funu ma aduhuam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakraa bi boro nimdeɛ ne anuonyam so no.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Onyansafo koma sian kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea koma kɔ benkum.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɔkwan so a, wohu sɛ onnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hu sɛ wagyimi.
Yea, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Sɛ sodifo bo fuw wo a, nnyaw wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboase dwudwo mfomso kɛse ano.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for soothing will put an end to great offences.
5 Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahu wɔ owia yi ase ɛyɛ mfomso bi a efi sodifo:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Wɔma nkwaseafo dibea a ɛkorɔn, na asikafo nya nea ɛwɔ fam.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Mahu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Obiara a otu amoa no betumi atɔ mu; na nea obubu ɔfasu no, ɔwɔ betumi aka no.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Obiara a ɔpae abo no, abo no betumi apira no; na nea ɔpae nnua no betumi anya mu akwanhyia.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Sɛ abonnua ano kum na wɔansew ano a ebehia ahoɔden bebree, nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdi bɛba.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwudwo no a nea odwudwo ɔwɔ no rennya so mfaso biara.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Onyansafo anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Mfiase no, wɔn nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; awiei no, ɛyɛ adammɔ atirimɔdensɛm,
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim nea ɛreba, hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ obi akyi akyerɛ no?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma onhu ɔkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
The labour of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo hene yɛ ɔsomfo na wo mmapɔmma to pon anɔpa.
Woe to thee, O city, whose king is young, and thy princes eat in the morning!
17 Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo hene yɛ ɔdehye na wo mmapɔmma didi bere a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden na ɛnyɛ nsabow.
Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a ne mpuran yɛ mmerɛw; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a ne fi nwini.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Wɔto pon ma serew, na nsa ma onipa ahosɛpɛw, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safe.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Wʼadwene mu mpo nkasa ntia ɔhene, na wo pia mu nso nnome ɔdefo, efisɛ anomaa a ɔnam wim de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ, na anomaa a otu bɛkɔ akɔka.
Even in thy conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which has wings shall report thy speech.
