Mmebusɛm 13
1 Ɔba nyansafo tie nʼagya nkyerɛkyerɛ; na ɔfɛwdifo ntie animka.
Children who are wise (pay attention/heed it) when their parents discipline/correct them; but foolish children do not pay attention when someone rebukes them [for their bad behavior].
2 Nneɛma pa a efi onipa anom no ma no anigye, na wɔn a wonni nokware no kɔn dɔ kitikitiyɛ.
Good people are rewarded [IDM] for the good things [MET] that they say, but those who desire to deceive others are [very] eager to act violently.
3 Nea ɔkora nʼano no kora ne nkwa so, nanso nea ɔkasa a onsusuw ho no bɛba ɔsɛe mu.
Those who are [very] careful about what they say [MTY] will live a long life; those who talk (without thinking/too much) will ruin themselves.
4 Onihawfo pere hwehwɛ nanso onya hwee, na nea ɔyɛ adwuma no nya nea ɔpɛ biara.
People who are lazy want things very much, but they will not get anything [HYP]. People who work hard will get all that they want.
5 Atreneefo kyi nea ɛnyɛ nokware, nanso amumɔyɛfo de aniwu ne ahohora ba.
Righteous/Honest people hate/detest lies, but what wicked people do (is very disgraceful/stinks) [DOU].
6 Trenee bɔ ɔnokwafo ho ban, na amumɔyɛsɛm tu ɔbɔnefo gu.
The behavior [PRS] of those who always do what is right will protect them, but sinful [behavior will] ruin wicked people.
7 Obi yɛ ne ho sɛ ɔdefo, a nso onni hwee, ɔfoforo yɛ ne ho sɛ ohiani, nso ɔwɔ ahonya bebree.
Some people who have nothing pretend to be rich, but other people who are very rich pretend to be poor.
8 Obi ahonya betumi agye no nkwa, nanso ohiani nte ahunahuna biara.
Rich people are able to pay people who want to kill them, [with the result that they will be protected, not killed], but poor people [do not have to worry about that because] no one threatens to kill them.
9 Atreneefo kanea hyerɛn pa ara, nanso wodum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
Righteous [people] are like a lamp [MET] that shines brightly, but wicked [people] are like [MET] a lamp that will [soon] be extinguished.
10 Ahantan de ntɔkwaw nko ara na ɛba, na wohu nyansa wɔ wɔn a wotie afotu mu.
[People] who are arrogant/proud [always] cause strife; those who are wise ask [other people] for good advice.
11 Ahonya a ɛnam ɔkwammɔne so no hwere ntɛm so, na nea ɔboa sika ano nkakrankakra no ma ɛdɔɔso.
Those who acquire a lot of money quickly [by doing what is wrong, probably] will lose it [quickly], but if people earn money slowly, the amount of money they have will increase.
12 Anidaso a wotu hyɛ da no bɔ koma ɔyare, nanso anigyinade a nsa aka no yɛ nkwadua.
When people do not receive the things that they are expecting to receive, (it causes them to despair/they become very sad); but if you receive what you are desiring to get, that [will be like a tree] [MET] [whose fruit gives you] life (OR, that will cause you to be joyful).
13 Nea otwiri akwankyerɛ no betua so ka, nanso wɔma nea ɔde obu ma mmara no akatua.
Those who despise [the good] advice [that others give them] are bringing ruin on themselves; those who pay attention to that advice will (be secure/succeed).
14 Onyansafo nkyerɛkyerɛ te sɛ nkwa asuti, eyi onipa fi owu afiri mu.
What wise [people] teach is [like] a fountain whose [water] gives life [MET]; what they teach you will help you to escape when something dangerous is threatening to kill you [MET].
15 Nhumu pa de adom ba, nanso atorofo akwan so yɛ den.
[People] respect those who have good sense, but those who cannot be trusted are on the road to being ruined/destroyed (OR, will have a lot of difficulties/troubles).
16 Ɔbadwemma biara yɛ nʼade wɔ nimdeɛ mu, nanso ɔkwasea da nʼagyimisɛm adi.
Those who have good sense always think carefully/wisely before they do something; foolish people show [by what they say and do] that they are foolish.
17 Ɔsomafo mumɔyɛfo tɔ amane mu, nanso ɔnanmusini nokwafo de abodwo ba.
Messengers who are not reliable cause trouble, but those who faithfully [deliver their messages] cause people to act peacefully.
18 Nea ɔpo nteɛso no kɔ ohia ne animguase mu, na wɔhyɛ nea otie nteɛso no anuonyam.
Those who refuse to pay attention when others discipline/correct them will become poor and disgraced; [people] respect those who accept it when they are rebuked [for their bad behavior].
19 Akɔnnɔde a nsa aka ma ɔkra ani gye, nanso nkwaseafo kyi sɛ wɔtwe wɔn ho fi bɔne ho.
It is delightful to receive what we desire; foolish people hate/refuse to turn away from doing evil.
20 Nea ɔne onyansafo nantew no hu nyansa, na nea ɔne nkwaseafo bɔ no hu amane.
Those who habitually associate with wise people become wise; those who (are close friends of/associate with) foolish people will (regret it/be ruined).
21 Ɔhaw di ɔbɔnefo akyi, na nkɔso yɛ ɔtreneeni akatua.
Sinners have trouble [PRS] wherever they go, but things will go well for righteous [people].
22 Onipa pa de agyapade gyaw ne nenanom, na wɔkora ɔbɔnefo ahonyade so ma ɔtreneeni.
When good people [die], their grandchildren inherit their money; but when sinners [die], the money that they had will end up in the hands of righteous [people].
23 Ohiani afum nnɔbae tumi ba pii, nanso ntɛnkyew pra kɔ.
[Sometimes] poor [people’s] fields produce plenty of food, but unjust people take away all that food.
24 Nea ɔkyɛe nʼabaa so no tan ne ba, na nea ɔdɔ no no hwɛ sɛ ɔbɛteɛ no.
Those who do not punish their children [for bad behavior] do not [really] love them; those who love their children start to discipline them when the children are still young.
25 Atreneefo didi ma wɔn koma mee, nanso ɔkɔm de amumɔyɛfo.
Righteous [people] have enough food to eat and be satisfied, but the stomachs of wicked [people] [SYN] are [always] empty.
