Ɔsɛnkafo 10
1 Sɛnea nwansena funu ma aduhuam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakraa bi boro nimdeɛ ne anuonyam so no.
Dead flies can make perfumed oil smell bad. Likewise a little foolishness outweighs great wisdom and honor.
2 Onyansafo koma sian kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea koma kɔ benkum.
The mind of the wise person chooses the right side, but the mind of the fool goes left!
3 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɔkwan so a, wohu sɛ onnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hu sɛ wagyimi.
Just the way that fools walk down the road shows they have no sense, making clear to everyone their stupidity.
4 Sɛ sodifo bo fuw wo a, nnyaw wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboase dwudwo mfomso kɛse ano.
If your superior gets angry with you, don't give up and leave. If you stay calm even bad mistakes can be resolved.
5 Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahu wɔ owia yi ase ɛyɛ mfomso bi a efi sodifo:
I also realized there's another evil here on earth: rulers make a big mistake
6 Wɔma nkwaseafo dibea a ɛkorɔn, na asikafo nya nea ɛwɔ fam.
when they put fools in high positions, while those who are richly qualified are put in low positions.
7 Mahu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
I've seen slaves riding on horseback, while princes walk on the ground like slaves.
8 Obiara a otu amoa no betumi atɔ mu; na nea obubu ɔfasu no, ɔwɔ betumi aka no.
If you dig a pit, you could fall in. If you knock down a wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
9 Obiara a ɔpae abo no, abo no betumi apira no; na nea ɔpae nnua no betumi anya mu akwanhyia.
If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.
10 Sɛ abonnua ano kum na wɔansew ano a ebehia ahoɔden bebree, nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdi bɛba.
If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results.
11 Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwudwo no a nea odwudwo ɔwɔ no rennya so mfaso biara.
If the snake bites the snake charmer before it's charmed, there's no benefit to the snake charmer!
12 Onyansafo anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
Wise words are beneficial, but fools destroy themselves by what they say.
13 Mfiase no, wɔn nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; awiei no, ɛyɛ adammɔ atirimɔdensɛm,
Fools begin by saying foolish things, and end up talking evil nonsense.
14 na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim nea ɛreba, hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ obi akyi akyerɛ no?
Fools talk on and on, however no one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
15 Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma onhu ɔkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
Work makes fools so worn out they can't achieve anything.
16 Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo hene yɛ ɔsomfo na wo mmapɔmma to pon anɔpa.
You're in trouble if the king of your country is young, and if your leaders are busy feasting from early morning.
17 Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo hene yɛ ɔdehye na wo mmapɔmma didi bere a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden na ɛnyɛ nsabow.
You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.
18 Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a ne mpuran yɛ mmerɛw; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a ne fi nwini.
Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.
19 Wɔto pon ma serew, na nsa ma onipa ahosɛpɛw, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safe.
A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.
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.
Don't talk badly about the king, not even in your thoughts. Don't talk badly about leaders, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird may hear what you say and fly away to tell them.
