Mmebusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wutie me nsɛm, na woma me mmaransɛm tena wo mu a,
My son, if you would accept my words, and conceal my commandments within you,
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wo koma ma ntease,
so that your ears may listen to wisdom, then bend your heart in order to know prudence.
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhumu na wusu frɛ ntease,
For if you would call upon wisdom and bend your heart to prudence,
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛnea wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wohwehwɛ no sɛnea worepɛ ademude a ahintaw a,
if you will seek her like money, and dig for her as if for treasure,
5 ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will discover the knowledge of God.
6 Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne ntease fi ba.
For the Lord bestows wisdom, and out of his mouth, prudence and knowledge.
7 Ɔkora nkonimdi ma wɔn a wɔteɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He will preserve the salvation of the righteous, and he will protect those who walk in simplicity:
8 ɔwɛn nea ɔyɛ pɛ kwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wodi no nokware no akwan ho ban.
serving the paths of justice, and guarding the ways of sanctity.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte nea eye ne nea ɛyɛ pɛ, ne nea ɛfata, ɔkwan biara a eye ase.
Then you shall understand justice and judgment, and equity, and every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bewura wo koma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
If wisdom is to enter into your heart, and if knowledge is to become pleasing to your soul,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na ntease ahwɛ wo so.
then counsel must guard you, and prudence must serve you,
12 Nyansa beyi wo afi amumɔyɛfo akwan mu, ebeyi wo afi nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
so that you may be rescued from the evil way, and from the man who speaks perversities,
13 wɔn a wɔaman afi akwan pa so akɔnantew sum akwan so no,
from those who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways,
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wodi ahurusi wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
who rejoice when they have done evil, and who exult in the most wicked things.
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsam wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Their ways are perverse, and their steps are infamous.
16 Nimdeɛ begye wo afi ɔbea waresɛefo no nsam, afi ɔbea warefo huhuni a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
So may you be rescued from the foreign woman, and from the outsider, who softens her speech,
17 nea wagyaa ne mmabaabere mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
and who leaves behind the Guide of her youth,
18 Ne fi yɛ ɔkwan a ɛkɔ owu mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufo honhom nkyɛn.
and who has forgotten the covenant of her God. For her household inclines toward death, and her paths toward Hell. (questioned)
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsan mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
All those who enter to her will not return again, nor will they take hold of the paths of life.
20 Enti wubedi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanantew atreneefo akwan so.
So may you walk in the good way, and keep to the difficult paths of the just.
21 Efisɛ wɔn a wɔteɛ bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
For those who are upright shall live upon the earth, and the simple shall continue upon it.
22 na wobetwa amumɔyɛfo afi asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofo ase.
Yet truly, the impious shall perish from the earth, and those who act unjustly shall be taken away from it.
