Mmebusɛm 18
1 Ɔhonamkani yɛ pɛsɛmenkominya; na nea ɛmfa atɛntrenee mma no turuw ɔham.
He who is separated seeks [his own] desire, He interferes with all wisdom.
2 Ɔkwasea nni nhumu ho anigye, na mmom nea ɔpɛ ara ne sɛ ɔde nʼadwene bɛto gua.
A fool does not delight in understanding, But in uncovering his heart.
3 Sɛ amumɔyɛsɛm ba a animtiaabu di so, na aniwu nso di animguase akyi.
Contempt has also come with the coming of the wicked, And with shame—reproach.
4 Onipa anom nsɛm yɛ nsu a emu dɔ, na nyansa asuti yɛ asuwa a ɛrefi ahuru.
The words of a man’s mouth [are] deep waters, The fountain of wisdom [is] a flowing brook.
5 Enye sɛ wodi ma omumɔyɛfo anaasɛ wobu nea odi bem ntɛnkyew.
Favoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.
6 Nkwaseafo ano de akasakasa ba, na wɔn ano frɛfrɛ ɔhwe.
The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth calls for stripes.
7 Nkwaseafo ano yɛ wɔn ara wɔn sɛe, na wɔn anofafa yɛ wɔn ara wɔn kra afiri.
The mouth of a fool [is] ruin to him, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.
8 Osekuni ano asɛm te sɛ aduan a ɛyɛ dɛ; ɛhyɛnhyɛn onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
9 Nea ɔtoto nʼadwuma ase no yɛ ɔsɛefo nuabarima.
He also that is remiss in his work, He [is] a brother to a destroyer.
10 Awurade din yɛ abantenten a ɛyɛ den; ahotefo guan kɔtoa na wonya bammɔ.
The Name of YHWH [is] a tower of strength, The righteous runs into it, and is set on high.
11 Adefo ahonyade ne wɔn kuropɔn a wɔabɔ ho ban wɔfa no sɛ ɔfasu tenten a wontumi mforo.
The wealth of the rich [is] the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.
12 Ansa na onipa bɛhwe ase no onya ahomaso koma, na ahobrɛase di anuonyam anim.
The heart of man is high before destruction, And humility [is] before honor.
13 Nea ontie asɛm ansa na wama mmuae no, ɛno ne ne gyimi ne nʼanimguase.
Whoever is answering a matter before he hears, It is folly to him—and shame.
14 Onipa honhom na ɛhyɛ no den wɔ ɔyare mu na honhom a abotow de, hena na ɔpɛ?
The spirit of a man sustains his sickness, And who bears a struck spirit?
15 Nhumu koma nya nimdeɛ; na anyansafo aso nso hwehwɛ.
The heart of the intelligent gets knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 Akyɛde bue kwan ma nea ɔde ma na ɛde no ba atitiriw anim.
The gift of a man makes room for him, And it leads him before the great.
17 Ɛyɛ nea ɔbɔ ne nkuro kan no sɛ nʼasɛm yɛ dɛ, kosi sɛ ɔfoforo bɛba abebisa no nsɛm no mu.
The first in his own cause [seems] righteous, [But] his neighbor comes and has searched him.
18 Ntontobɔ twa akyinnyegye so, na ɛpata atamfo.
The lot causes contentions to cease, And it separates between the mighty.
19 Onua a wɔafom no no asɛm yɛ den sen kuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ, akyinnyegye te sɛ abankɛse apon a wɔabram akyi.
A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.
20 Onipa anom asɛm so aba ma ɔyafunu mee, nnɔbae a nʼanofafa twa no mee no.
From the fruit of a man’s mouth is his belly satisfied, [From the] increase of his lips he is satisfied.
21 Tɛkrɛma kura nkwa ne owu tumi, na wɔn a wɔdɔ no no bedi nʼaba.
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.
22 Nea wanya yere no anya ade pa na onya adom fi Awurade hɔ.
[Whoever] has found a wife has found good, And brings out goodwill from YHWH.
23 Ohiani srɛ ahummɔbɔ, nanso ɔdefo de kasaden bua no.
The poor speaks [with] supplications, And the rich answers fierce things.
24 Ɔbarima a ne nnamfonom dɔɔso betumi ahwe ase, nanso adamfo bi wɔ hɔ a ɔbɛfam ne ho asen onua.
A man with friends—to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
