Mmebusɛm 17
1 Aduan sakoo a asomdwoe wɔ ho ye sen ofi a aponto ahyɛ no ma nanso basabasayɛ wɔ mu.
It is better to have quiet with a dry morsel of bread than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 Ɔsomfo nyansafo bedi ɔba nimguasefo so, na obenya ne kyɛfa wɔ agyapade no mu sɛ anuanom no mu baako.
A wise servant will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 Kyɛmfɛre wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ nanso Awurade na ɔsɔ koma hwɛ.
The crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, but Yahweh refines hearts.
4 Omumɔyɛfo tie nsusuwii bɔne; ɔtorofo yɛ aso ma adwene bɔne tɛkrɛma.
The evildoer pays attention to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.
5 Nea odi ahiafo ho fɛw no bu wɔn Yɛfo animtiaa; na nea ɔfoa amanehunu so no benya asotwe.
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker and the one who rejoices at misfortune will not go unpunished.
6 Nananom yɛ mmasiriwa anuonyam, na awofo yɛ wɔn mma ahohoahoa.
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged and parents bring honor to their children.
7 Anotew nye mma ɔkwasea, saa ara na ano a edi atoro mfata ɔhene.
Eloquent speech is not suitable for a fool; much less are lying lips suitable for royalty.
8 Nea ɔma adanmude no hu sɛ ɛyɛ suman; osusuw sɛ nkonimdi bɛba bere biara.
A bribe is like a magic stone to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
9 Nea obu nʼani gu mfomso so no ma ɔdɔ kwan, na nea ɔkɔ so bɔ so no tetew nnamfonom ntam.
Whoever overlooks an offense seeks love, but the one who repeats a matter alienates close friends.
10 Animka sɔ onipa a ɔwɔ nhumu ani sen mmaa ɔha a wɔbɔ ɔkwasea.
A rebuke goes deeper into a person who has understanding than a hundred blows go into a fool.
11 Onipa bɔnefo ani wɔ atuatew nko ara so na wɔbɛsoma odwumayɛni tirimuɔdenfo akɔ no so.
An evil person only seeks rebellion, so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Eye sɛ wubehyia sisi a wɔawia ne mma sen ɔkwasea a ɔregyimi.
It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to meet a fool in his foolishness.
13 Sɛ obi de bɔne tua papa so ka a, bɔne rempa ne fi da.
When someone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
14 Ntɔkwaw mfiase te sɛ nea wɔretue suka; enti gyae ma ɛnka na ankɔfa ɔham amma.
The beginning of conflict is like one who releases water everywhere, so walk away from the dispute before it has broken out.
15 Sɛ wobegyaa nea odi fɔ ne sɛ wobebu nea odi bem kumfɔ no, Awurade kyi nʼabien no nyinaa.
The person who acquits the wicked person and the person who condemns the righteous person— both are an abomination to Yahweh.
16 Sika a ɛwɔ ɔkwasea nsam so nni mfaso, efisɛ onni botae biara sɛ obehu nyansa.
Why should a fool pay money to learn about wisdom, when he has no ability to learn it?
17 Adamfo kyerɛ ɔdɔ bere nyinaa mu, wɔwo onuabarima ma ahokyere bere.
A friend is loving at all times and a brother is born for times of trouble.
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 having no sense makes binding promises and becomes responsible for his neighbor's debts.
19 Nea ɔpɛ ntɔkwaw no dɔ bɔne; nea osi ɔpon tenten no frɛfrɛ ɔsɛe.
Whoever loves conflict loves sin; the one who makes the threshold of his door too high causes bones to be broken.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ porɔwee koma no nnya nkɔso; nea ɔwɔ nnaadaa tɛkrɛma no tɔ amane mu.
A person who has a crooked heart finds nothing that is good; the one who has a perverse tongue falls into calamity.
21 Nea ɔwo ɔbakwasea no di awerɛhow, ɔbakwasea agya nni anigye.
Whoever is the parent of a fool brings grief to himself; and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Koma mu anigye yɛ aduru, ɛsa ɔyare, nanso honhom a abotow no yoyow nnompe.
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
23 Omumɔyɛfo gye adanmude wɔ sum ase de kyea atɛntrenee.
A wicked man accepts a secret bribe to pervert the ways of justice.
24 Onipa a ɔwɔ nhumu no ani kɔ nyansa so, na ɔkwasea toto nʼani kosi asase ano.
The one who has understanding sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are set on the ends of the earth.
25 Ɔbakwasea hyɛ nʼagya awerɛhow, na ɔma nea onyinsɛn no no di yaw.
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to the woman who bore him.
26 Enye sɛ wɔtwe nea odi bem aso, anaasɛ wotwa adwumayɛfo mmaa wɔ wɔn nokwaredi nti.
Also, it is never good to punish the righteous person; neither is it good to flog noble men who have integrity.
27 Onimdefo dwene nʼanom kasa ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu no wɔ abodwo.
One who has knowledge uses few words and one with understanding is even-tempered.
28 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea yɛ dinn a wobu no sɛ onyansafo, na sɛ omua nʼano a wobu no sɛ ɔwɔ nhumu.
Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent; when he keeps his mouth shut, he is considered to be intelligent.
