Mmebusɛm 19
1 Ohiani a ne nantew ho nni asɛm no ye sen ɔkwasea a nʼasɛm mfa kwan mu.
Better to be poor but honest than stupid and tell lies.
2 Mmɔdemmɔ a nimdeɛ nka ho no nye, saa ara na ntɛmpɛ a ɛma obi yera kwan nso nye.
It's not good to be someone who doesn't think. If you rush, things go wrong.
3 Onipa agyimisɛm sɛe nʼabrabɔ, nanso ne koma huru tia Awurade.
People mess up their lives by their own stupidity, and then get angry with the Lord.
4 Ahonya frɛfrɛ nnamfonom bebree; nanso ohiani adamfo gyaw no hɔ.
If you're rich, you get a lot of friends, but if you're poor, you lose any friends you had.
5 Adansekurumni benya nʼakatua, na nea otwa nkontompo remfa ne ho nni.
A false witness will be punished; liars won't get away with their lies.
6 Nnipa pii pɛ adom fi sodifo nkyɛn, na nea ɔkyɛ ade yɛ obiara adamfo.
Many ask favors from important people, and everyone's a friend of the generous.
7 Ohiani abusuafo nyinaa po no, na saa ara na ne nnamfonom po no! Mpo ɔhwehwɛ wɔn, pɛ sɛ ɔpa wɔn kyɛw, nanso onhu wɔn baabiara.
If a poor man's relatives can't stand him, how much more will his friends avoid him! He tries to talk with them but they don't listen.
8 Nea onya nyansa no dɔ ne kra; nea ɔpɛ nhumu no nya nkɔso.
If you become wise, you have good self-esteem; if you learn good sense you'll be successful.
9 Adansekurumni benya asotwe, na nea otwa nkontompo no bɛyera.
A false witness will be punished; people who tell lies will perish.
10 Ɛmfata sɛ ɔkwasea bedi taamu, anaasɛ akoa bedi mmapɔmma so!
It's not right for stupid people to live in luxury, and it's even worse for a slave to rule over leaders.
11 Onipa nyansa ma no ntoboase; ɛyɛ anuonyam ma obi sɛ obebu nʼani gu mfomso bi so.
If you have good sense you'll be slow to get angry; you gain respect by forgiving wrongs.
12 Ɔhene abufuw te sɛ gyata mmubomu, na nʼadom te sɛ sare so bosu.
When a king gets angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; but his kindness is as soft as dew on the grass.
13 Ɔba kwasea yɛ nʼagya ɔsɛe, ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ɔdan a ne nwini to ntwa da.
A stupid son makes his father miserable, and an argumentative wife is like dripping that never stops.
14 Afi ne ahonyade yɛ agyapade a efi awofo, na ɔyere nimdefo fi Awurade.
You inherit a house and wealth from your father, but a sensible wife is a gift from the Lord.
15 Akwadworɔ de nnahɔɔ ba, na ɔkɔm de ɔkwadwofo.
Lazy people are often fast asleep, but idleness means they're hungry.
16 Nea odi nkyerɛkyerɛ so no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban, na nea ogyaagyaa ne ho no bewu.
Keep the commandments, and you'll live; despise them and you'll die.
17 Nea ɔyɛ adɔe ma ohiani no yɛ de fɛm Awurade, na obetua no nea ɔyɛ no so ka.
If you're kind to the poor, you're lending to the Lord, and he will repay you well for what you've done.
18 Teɛ wo ba, na ɛno mu na anidaso wɔ, na nyɛ wɔn a wɔde no kɔ owu mu no mu baako.
Discipline your son while there's still hope, but don't kill him.
19 Ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ne koma haw no no nya so asotwe; sɛ woka ma no a, wobɛyɛ bio.
People who often get angry have to pay the penalty; if you help them, you'll have to do it again.
20 Tie afotu na gye nkyerɛkyerɛ to mu, na awiei no, wubehu nyansa.
Listen to advice and accept instruction so that you'll eventually become wise.
21 Nhyehyɛe bebree wɔ onipa koma mu, nanso nea Awurade pɛ no na ɛba mu.
Human beings make many plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
22 Nea onipa pɛ ne nokware dɔ; eye sɛ wobɛyɛ ohiani sen sɛ wobɛyɛ ɔtorofo.
The most desirable thing in anyone is trustworthy love; it is better to be poor than a liar.
23 Awurade suro kɔ nkwa mu; na onipa de abotɔyam home a ɔhaw bi nni mu.
Honoring the Lord is life, and you will rest contentedly, safe from harm.
24 Ɔkwadwofo de ne nsa si aduan mu, na ɛyɛ no anihaw sɛ obeyi akɔ nʼano.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, and won't even lift the food to their mouths.
25 Twa ɔfɛwdifo mmaa, na atetekwaa bɛfa adwene; ka nea ɔwɔ nhumu anim, na obenya nimdeɛ.
If you punish someone who mocks, you may help an immature person to learn. Correct the wise, and they become wiser.
26 Nea ɔbɔ nʼagya korɔn na ɔpam ne na no yɛ ɔba a ɔde aniwu ne animguase ba.
A son who abuses his father and chases away his mother brings shame and disgrace.
27 Me ba, sɛ wugyae nkyerɛkyerɛ tie a, wobɛman afi nimdeɛ nsɛm ho.
My son, stop listening to my instruction and you'll soon give up following wisdom.
28 Adansekurumni di atɛntrenee ho fɛw; na omumɔyɛfo ano mene bɔne.
A crooked witness makes a mockery of justice; and the wicked wolf down evil.
29 Wɔasiesie asotwe ama fɛwdifo, ne mmaabɔ ama nkwaseafo akyi.
Punishment is ready for those who mock; flogging is ready for the backs of the stupid.
