Mmebusɛm 19
1 Ohiani a ne nantew ho nni asɛm no ye sen ɔkwasea a nʼasɛm mfa kwan mu.
Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in speech and is a fool.
2 Mmɔdemmɔ a nimdeɛ nka ho no nye, saa ara na ntɛmpɛ a ɛma obi yera kwan nso nye.
Also, it is not good to have desire without knowledge and the one who runs too fast misses the path.
3 Onipa agyimisɛm sɛe nʼabrabɔ, nanso ne koma huru tia Awurade.
A person's folly ruins his life and his heart rages against Yahweh.
4 Ahonya frɛfrɛ nnamfonom bebree; nanso ohiani adamfo gyaw no hɔ.
Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friends.
5 Adansekurumni benya nʼakatua, na nea otwa nkontompo remfa ne ho nni.
A false witness will not go unpunished and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
6 Nnipa pii pɛ adom fi sodifo nkyɛn, na nea ɔkyɛ ade yɛ obiara adamfo.
Many will ask for a favor from a generous person and everyone is a friend of the one who gives gifts.
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.
All the brothers of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends who go far away from him! He calls out to them, but they are gone.
8 Nea onya nyansa no dɔ ne kra; nea ɔpɛ nhumu no nya nkɔso.
He who gets wisdom loves his own life; he who keeps understanding will find what is good.
9 Adansekurumni benya asotwe, na nea otwa nkontompo no bɛyera.
A false witness will not go unpunished, but the one who breathes out lies will perish.
10 Ɛmfata sɛ ɔkwasea bedi taamu, anaasɛ akoa bedi mmapɔmma so!
It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— much less for a slave to rule over princes.
11 Onipa nyansa ma no ntoboase; ɛyɛ anuonyam ma obi sɛ obebu nʼani gu mfomso bi so.
Discretion makes a person slow to anger and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 Ɔhene abufuw te sɛ gyata mmubomu, na nʼadom te sɛ sare so bosu.
The wrath of the king is like the roaring of a young lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 Ɔba kwasea yɛ nʼagya ɔsɛe, ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ɔdan a ne nwini to ntwa da.
A foolish son is ruin to his father and a quarreling wife is a constant dripping of water.
14 Afi ne ahonyade yɛ agyapade a efi awofo, na ɔyere nimdefo fi Awurade.
A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
15 Akwadworɔ de nnahɔɔ ba, na ɔkɔm de ɔkwadwofo.
Laziness throws a person into a deep sleep, but the one not willing to work will go hungry.
16 Nea odi nkyerɛkyerɛ so no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban, na nea ogyaagyaa ne ho no bewu.
The one who obeys the command guards his life, but the person who does not think about his ways will die.
17 Nea ɔyɛ adɔe ma ohiani no yɛ de fɛm Awurade, na obetua no nea ɔyɛ no so ka.
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to Yahweh and he will repay him for what he has 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 is hope and do not set your desire on putting him to death.
19 Ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ne koma haw no no nya so asotwe; sɛ woka ma no a, wobɛyɛ bio.
A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it a second time.
20 Tie afotu na gye nkyerɛkyerɛ to mu, na awiei no, wubehu nyansa.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, so you may become wise by the end of your life.
21 Nhyehyɛe bebree wɔ onipa koma mu, nanso nea Awurade pɛ no na ɛba mu.
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the purpose of Yahweh that will stand.
22 Nea onipa pɛ ne nokware dɔ; eye sɛ wobɛyɛ ohiani sen sɛ wobɛyɛ ɔtorofo.
Loyalty is what a person desires and a poor person is better than a liar.
23 Awurade suro kɔ nkwa mu; na onipa de abotɔyam home a ɔhaw bi nni mu.
Honor for Yahweh leads people to life; anyone who has it will be satisfied and not afflicted by harm.
24 Ɔkwadwofo de ne nsa si aduan mu, na ɛyɛ no anihaw sɛ obeyi akɔ nʼano.
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back up to his mouth.
25 Twa ɔfɛwdifo mmaa, na atetekwaa bɛfa adwene; ka nea ɔwɔ nhumu anim, na obenya nimdeɛ.
Strike a mocker, and the naive person will become prudent; discipline one who is discerning, and he will gain knowledge.
26 Nea ɔbɔ nʼagya korɔn na ɔpam ne na no yɛ ɔba a ɔde aniwu ne animguase ba.
The one who robs his father and chases his mother away is a son who brings shame and reproach.
27 Me ba, sɛ wugyae nkyerɛkyerɛ tie a, wobɛman afi nimdeɛ nsɛm ho.
If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28 Adansekurumni di atɛntrenee ho fɛw; na omumɔyɛfo ano mene bɔne.
A corrupt witness mocks justice and the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity.
29 Wɔasiesie asotwe ama fɛwdifo, ne mmaabɔ ama nkwaseafo akyi.
Condemnation is ready for mockers and flogging for the backs of fools.
