Mmebusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛwdifo na nsaden yɛ ɔtɔkwapɛfo; na obiara a nsa bɛma wafom kwan no nyɛ onyansafo.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
2 Ɔhene abufuwhyew te sɛ gyata mmubomu; na nea ɔhyɛ no abufuw no de nkwa twa so.
Like the roaring of a young lion is the dread of a king: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa anuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifo biara pɛ ntɔkwaw.
It is an honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
4 Onihawfo mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne bere mu; enti edu twabere a onya hwee.
Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
5 Onipa koma botae yɛ asubun, nanso nea ɔwɔ nhumu no twetwe ma epue.
Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the man of understanding will draw 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 who can find a faithful man?
7 Ɔtreneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira nka ne mma a wɔba wɔ nʼakyi.
The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahengua so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhuw bɔne nyinaa so gu.
A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
9 Hena na obetumi aka se, “Mapra me koma mu; meyɛ kronkron na minni bɔne?”
Who can say, I have made my heart pure, I am cleansed from my sin.
10 Nkaribo ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no, Awurade kyi nʼabien no nyinaa.
Divers weights, and divers measures, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
11 Mpo wɔnam abofra nketewa nneyɛe so hu wɔn, saa ara na ne suban yɛ kronkron ne papa no.
Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hu ade, Awurade na wayɛ nʼabien no nyinaa.
The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
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 thy eyes, so wilt thou be satisfied with bread.
14 Adetɔni ka se, “Enye, enye!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a ɔde nea watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then doth he boast.
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 pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
16 Fa obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu atade; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take away his garment, because he hath become surety for a stranger; and on account of a strange woman take a pledge from him.
17 Aduan a wonya no ɔkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anom dɛ, nanso akyiri no, ɛdan mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
18 Pɛ afotu yɛ wo nhyehyɛe; sɛ wutu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho fi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that enticeth with 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 quenched in obscure darkness.
21 Agyapade a wɔpere ho nya no, renyɛ nhyira akyiri no.
An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
22 Nka se, “Metua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na obegye wo.
Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help thee.
23 Awurade kyi nkaribo a ɛnyɛ papa, na asisi nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
Divers weights are an abomination of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntu. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he 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 to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
26 Ɔhene nyansafo hu amumɔyɛfo; na ɔde awiyam afiri hankare fa wɔn so.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokwaredi bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔe ma nʼahengua tim.
Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
29 Mmerante anuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwen nso ne mmasiriwa anuonyam.
The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
30 Ɔhwe ne apirakuru hohoro amumɔyɛ, mmaatwa tew koma mu.
The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
