Mmebusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,
2 Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
to know wisdom and instruction, to discern the words of understanding,
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness and justice and equity,
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
to give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion,
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsels,
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
to understand a proverb, and a figure, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. The foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
For they shall be a garland of grace to thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they say, Come with us. Let us lay wait for blood. Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
Let us swallow them up alive as Sheol, and whole, as those who go down into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil.
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Thou shall cast thy lot among us. We will all have one bag.
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, walk not thou in the way with them. Restrain thy foot from their path.
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
and these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain. It takes away the life of the owners of it.
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdom cries aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the broad places.
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
She cries in the chief place of concourse, at the entrance of the gates, in the city. She utters her words:
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
Turn back at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make my words known to you.
24 Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
Because I have called, and ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man has regarded,
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
but ye have made all my counsel void, and want none of my reproof,
26 me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear comes,
27 sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
when your fear comes as a storm, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Jehovah.
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For the backsliding of the simple shall kill them, and the careless ease of fools shall destroy them.
33 Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But he who hearkens to me shall dwell securely, and shall be quiet without fear of evil.
