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] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
2 Ɔhene abufuwhyew te sɛ gyata mmubomu; na nea ɔhyɛ no abufuw no de nkwa twa so.
The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa anuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifo biara pɛ ntɔkwaw.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 Onihawfo mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne bere mu; enti edu twabere a onya hwee.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Onipa koma botae yɛ asubun, nanso nea ɔwɔ nhumu no twetwe ma epue.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Nnipa dodow no ara ka se wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hena na obetumi ahu ɔnokwafo?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 Ɔtreneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira nka ne mma a wɔba wɔ nʼakyi.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahengua so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhuw bɔne nyinaa so gu.
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
9 Hena na obetumi aka se, “Mapra me koma mu; meyɛ kronkron na minni bɔne?”
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Nkaribo ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no, Awurade kyi nʼabien no nyinaa.
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
11 Mpo wɔnam abofra nketewa nneyɛe so hu wɔn, saa ara na ne suban yɛ kronkron ne papa no.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hu ade, Awurade na wayɛ nʼabien no nyinaa.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; nna, na wubenya aduan ama abu so.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
14 Adetɔni ka se, “Enye, enye!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a ɔde nea watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhene pa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ na.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Fa obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu atade; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Aduan a wonya no ɔkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anom dɛ, nanso akyiri no, ɛdan mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Pɛ afotu yɛ wo nhyehyɛe; sɛ wutu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho fi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne na a, wobedum ne kanea wɔ sum kabii mu.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 Agyapade a wɔpere ho nya no, renyɛ nhyira akyiri no.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Nka se, “Metua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na obegye wo.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 Awurade kyi nkaribo a ɛnyɛ papa, na asisi nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntu. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, osum ne ho afiri.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 Ɔhene nyansafo hu amumɔyɛfo; na ɔde awiyam afiri hankare fa wɔn so.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokwaredi bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔe ma nʼahengua tim.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 Mmerante anuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwen nso ne mmasiriwa anuonyam.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Ɔhwe ne apirakuru hohoro amumɔyɛ, mmaatwa tew koma mu.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
