Ɔsɛnkafo 10
1 Sɛnea nwansena funu ma aduhuam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakraa bi boro nimdeɛ ne anuonyam so no.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Onyansafo koma sian kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea koma kɔ benkum.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɔkwan so a, wohu sɛ onnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hu sɛ wagyimi.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Sɛ sodifo bo fuw wo a, nnyaw wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboase dwudwo mfomso kɛse ano.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahu wɔ owia yi ase ɛyɛ mfomso bi a efi sodifo:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Wɔma nkwaseafo dibea a ɛkorɔn, na asikafo nya nea ɛwɔ fam.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Mahu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Obiara a otu amoa no betumi atɔ mu; na nea obubu ɔfasu no, ɔwɔ betumi aka no.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Obiara a ɔpae abo no, abo no betumi apira no; na nea ɔpae nnua no betumi anya mu akwanhyia.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Sɛ abonnua ano kum na wɔansew ano a ebehia ahoɔden bebree, nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdi bɛba.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwudwo no a nea odwudwo ɔwɔ no rennya so mfaso biara.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Onyansafo anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Mfiase no, wɔn nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; awiei no, ɛyɛ adammɔ atirimɔdensɛm,
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim nea ɛreba, hena na obetumi aka nea ebesi wɔ obi akyi akyerɛ no?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma onhu ɔkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo hene yɛ ɔsomfo na wo mmapɔmma to pon anɔpa.
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo hene yɛ ɔdehye na wo mmapɔmma didi bere a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden na ɛnyɛ nsabow.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a ne mpuran yɛ mmerɛw; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a ne fi nwini.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Wɔto pon ma serew, na nsa ma onipa ahosɛpɛw, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safe.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
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.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
