Mmebusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛwdifo na nsaden yɛ ɔtɔkwapɛfo; na obiara a nsa bɛma wafom kwan no nyɛ onyansafo.
Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.
2 Ɔhene abufuwhyew te sɛ gyata mmubomu; na nea ɔhyɛ no abufuw no de nkwa twa so.
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa anuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifo biara pɛ ntɔkwaw.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
4 Onihawfo mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne bere mu; enti edu twabere a onya hwee.
The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Onipa koma botae yɛ asubun, nanso nea ɔwɔ nhumu no twetwe ma epue.
Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
6 Nnipa dodow no ara ka se wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hena na obetumi ahu ɔnokwafo?
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
7 Ɔtreneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira nka ne mma a wɔba wɔ nʼakyi.
The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahengua so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhuw bɔne nyinaa so gu.
A king sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Hena na obetumi aka se, “Mapra me koma mu; meyɛ kronkron na minni bɔne?”
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Nkaribo ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no, Awurade kyi nʼabien no nyinaa.
Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.
11 Mpo wɔnam abofra nketewa nneyɛe so hu wɔn, saa ara na ne suban yɛ kronkron ne papa no.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hu ade, Awurade na wayɛ nʼabien no nyinaa.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; nna, na wubenya aduan ama abu so.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 Adetɔni ka se, “Enye, enye!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a ɔde nea watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhene pa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ na.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
16 Fa obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu atade; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.
17 Aduan a wonya no ɔkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anom dɛ, nanso akyiri no, ɛdan mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Pɛ afotu yɛ wo nhyehyɛe; sɛ wutu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho fi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne na a, wobedum ne kanea wɔ sum kabii mu.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
21 Agyapade a wɔpere ho nya no, renyɛ nhyira akyiri no.
An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
22 Nka se, “Metua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na obegye wo.
Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.
23 Awurade kyi nkaribo a ɛnyɛ papa, na asisi nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntu. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, osum ne ho afiri.
It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 Ɔhene nyansafo hu amumɔyɛfo; na ɔde awiyam afiri hankare fa wɔn so.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokwaredi bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔe ma nʼahengua tim.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.
29 Mmerante anuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwen nso ne mmasiriwa anuonyam.
The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
30 Ɔhwe ne apirakuru hohoro amumɔyɛ, mmaatwa tew koma mu.
Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes [purge] the inner parts of the belly.
