Mmebusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wutie me nsɛm, na woma me mmaransɛm tena wo mu a,
My son, if thou receivest my words, and layest up my commandments with thee,
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wo koma ma ntease,
so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom [and] thou apply thy heart to understanding;
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhumu na wusu frɛ ntease,
yea, if thou criest after discernment [and] liftest up thy voice to understanding;
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛnea wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wohwehwɛ no sɛnea worepɛ ademude a ahintaw a,
if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures:
5 ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.
6 Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne ntease fi ba.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
7 Ɔkora nkonimdi ma wɔn a wɔteɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [he] is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8 ɔwɛn nea ɔyɛ pɛ kwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wodi no nokware no akwan ho ban.
guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte nea eye ne nea ɛyɛ pɛ, ne nea ɛfata, ɔkwan biara a eye ase.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bewura wo koma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na ntease ahwɛ wo so.
discretion shall keep thee, understanding shall preserve thee:
12 Nyansa beyi wo afi amumɔyɛfo akwan mu, ebeyi wo afi nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the man that speaketh froward things;
13 wɔn a wɔaman afi akwan pa so akɔnantew sum akwan so no,
[from those] who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wodi ahurusi wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
who rejoice to do evil, [and] delight in the frowardness of evil;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsam wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course:
16 Nimdeɛ begye wo afi ɔbea waresɛefo no nsam, afi ɔbea warefo huhuni a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words;
17 nea wagyaa ne mmabaabere mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God;
18 Ne fi yɛ ɔkwan a ɛkɔ owu mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufo honhom nkyɛn.
— for her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead;
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsan mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
none that go unto her return again, neither do they attain to the paths of life:
20 Enti wubedi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanantew atreneefo akwan so.
— that thou mayest walk in the way of the good, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 Efisɛ wɔn a wɔteɛ bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it;
22 na wobetwa amumɔyɛfo afi asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofo ase.
but the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.
