Mmebusɛm 18
1 Ɔhonamkani yɛ pɛsɛmenkominya; na nea ɛmfa atɛntrenee mma no turuw ɔham.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Ɔkwasea nni nhumu ho anigye, na mmom nea ɔpɛ ara ne sɛ ɔde nʼadwene bɛto gua.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Sɛ amumɔyɛsɛm ba a animtiaabu di so, na aniwu nso di animguase akyi.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Onipa anom nsɛm yɛ nsu a emu dɔ, na nyansa asuti yɛ asuwa a ɛrefi ahuru.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Enye sɛ wodi ma omumɔyɛfo anaasɛ wobu nea odi bem ntɛnkyew.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Nkwaseafo ano de akasakasa ba, na wɔn ano frɛfrɛ ɔhwe.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Nkwaseafo ano yɛ wɔn ara wɔn sɛe, na wɔn anofafa yɛ wɔn ara wɔn kra afiri.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Osekuni ano asɛm te sɛ aduan a ɛyɛ dɛ; ɛhyɛnhyɛn onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Nea ɔtoto nʼadwuma ase no yɛ ɔsɛefo nuabarima.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Awurade din yɛ abantenten a ɛyɛ den; ahotefo guan kɔtoa na wonya bammɔ.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Adefo ahonyade ne wɔn kuropɔn a wɔabɔ ho ban wɔfa no sɛ ɔfasu tenten a wontumi mforo.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Ansa na onipa bɛhwe ase no onya ahomaso koma, na ahobrɛase di anuonyam anim.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Nea ontie asɛm ansa na wama mmuae no, ɛno ne ne gyimi ne nʼanimguase.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Onipa honhom na ɛhyɛ no den wɔ ɔyare mu na honhom a abotow de, hena na ɔpɛ?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Nhumu koma nya nimdeɛ; na anyansafo aso nso hwehwɛ.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Akyɛde bue kwan ma nea ɔde ma na ɛde no ba atitiriw anim.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Ɛyɛ nea ɔbɔ ne nkuro kan no sɛ nʼasɛm yɛ dɛ, kosi sɛ ɔfoforo bɛba abebisa no nsɛm no mu.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Ntontobɔ twa akyinnyegye so, na ɛpata atamfo.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Onua a wɔafom no no asɛm yɛ den sen kuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ, akyinnyegye te sɛ abankɛse apon a wɔabram akyi.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Onipa anom asɛm so aba ma ɔyafunu mee, nnɔbae a nʼanofafa twa no mee no.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Tɛkrɛma kura nkwa ne owu tumi, na wɔn a wɔdɔ no no bedi nʼaba.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Nea wanya yere no anya ade pa na onya adom fi Awurade hɔ.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Ohiani srɛ ahummɔbɔ, nanso ɔdefo de kasaden bua no.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 Ɔbarima a ne nnamfonom dɔɔso betumi ahwe ase, nanso adamfo bi wɔ hɔ a ɔbɛfam ne ho asen onua.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
