Mmebusɛm 17
1 Aduan sakoo a asomdwoe wɔ ho ye sen ofi a aponto ahyɛ no ma nanso basabasayɛ wɔ mu.
Better [is] a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 Ɔsomfo nyansafo bedi ɔba nimguasefo so, na obenya ne kyɛfa wɔ agyapade no mu sɛ anuanom no mu baako.
A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
3 Kyɛmfɛre wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ nanso Awurade na ɔsɔ koma hwɛ.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
4 Omumɔyɛfo tie nsusuwii bɔne; ɔtorofo yɛ aso ma adwene bɔne tɛkrɛma.
An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Nea odi ahiafo ho fɛw no bu wɔn Yɛfo animtiaa; na nea ɔfoa amanehunu so no benya asotwe.
Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Nananom yɛ mmasiriwa anuonyam, na awofo yɛ wɔn mma ahohoahoa.
Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Anotew nye mma ɔkwasea, saa ara na ano a edi atoro mfata ɔhene.
A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
8 Nea ɔma adanmude no hu sɛ ɛyɛ suman; osusuw sɛ nkonimdi bɛba bere biara.
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
9 Nea obu nʼani gu mfomso so no ma ɔdɔ kwan, na nea ɔkɔ so bɔ so no tetew nnamfonom ntam.
Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 Animka sɔ onipa a ɔwɔ nhumu ani sen mmaa ɔha a wɔbɔ ɔkwasea.
Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
11 Onipa bɔnefo ani wɔ atuatew nko ara so na wɔbɛsoma odwumayɛni tirimuɔdenfo akɔ no so.
An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Eye sɛ wubehyia sisi a wɔawia ne mma sen ɔkwasea a ɔregyimi.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
13 Sɛ obi de bɔne tua papa so ka a, bɔne rempa ne fi da.
Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
14 Ntɔkwaw mfiase te sɛ nea wɔretue suka; enti gyae ma ɛnka na ankɔfa ɔham amma.
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
15 Sɛ wobegyaa nea odi fɔ ne sɛ wobebu nea odi bem kumfɔ no, Awurade kyi nʼabien no nyinaa.
Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
16 Sika a ɛwɔ ɔkwasea nsam so nni mfaso, efisɛ onni botae biara sɛ obehu nyansa.
Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart—there is none?
17 Adamfo kyerɛ ɔdɔ bere nyinaa mu, wɔwo onuabarima ma ahokyere bere.
The friend is loving at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
18 Obi a onni adwene no na ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu nam so de si awowa ma ne yɔnko.
A man lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
19 Nea ɔpɛ ntɔkwaw no dɔ bɔne; nea osi ɔpon tenten no frɛfrɛ ɔsɛe.
Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ porɔwee koma no nnya nkɔso; nea ɔwɔ nnaadaa tɛkrɛma no tɔ amane mu.
The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
21 Nea ɔwo ɔbakwasea no di awerɛhow, ɔbakwasea agya nni anigye.
Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
22 Koma mu anigye yɛ aduru, ɛsa ɔyare, nanso honhom a abotow no yoyow nnompe.
A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
23 Omumɔyɛfo gye adanmude wɔ sum ase de kyea atɛntrenee.
The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 Onipa a ɔwɔ nhumu no ani kɔ nyansa so, na ɔkwasea toto nʼani kosi asase ano.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
25 Ɔbakwasea hyɛ nʼagya awerɛhow, na ɔma nea onyinsɛn no no di yaw.
A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, And bitterness to her bearing him.
26 Enye sɛ wɔtwe nea odi bem aso, anaasɛ wotwa adwumayɛfo mmaa wɔ wɔn nokwaredi nti.
Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
27 Onimdefo dwene nʼanom kasa ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu no wɔ abodwo.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea yɛ dinn a wobu no sɛ onyansafo, na sɛ omua nʼano a wobu no sɛ ɔwɔ nhumu.
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
