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 wroth is wronging his soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa anuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifo biara pɛ ntɔkwaw.
An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
4 Onihawfo mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne bere mu; enti edu twabere a onya hwee.
Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh 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 draweth it up.
6 Nnipa dodow no ara ka se wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hena na obetumi ahu ɔnokwafo?
A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
7 Ɔtreneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira nka ne mma a wɔba wɔ nʼakyi.
The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness 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 with his eyes all evil,
9 Hena na obetumi aka se, “Mapra me koma mu; meyɛ kronkron na minni bɔne?”
Who saith, '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 Jehovah.
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 maketh himself known, Whether his work be 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, 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 become poor, Open thine eyes — 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, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
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, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Fa obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu atade; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
17 Aduan a wonya no ɔkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anom dɛ, nanso akyiri no, ɛdan mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
18 Pɛ afotu yɛ wo nhyehyɛe; sɛ wutu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho fi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne na a, wobedum ne kanea wɔ sum kabii mu.
Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp 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 recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
23 Awurade kyi nkaribo a ɛnyɛ papa, na asisi nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntu. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, osum ne ho afiri.
A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
26 Ɔhene nyansafo hu amumɔyɛfo; na ɔde awiyam afiri hankare fa wɔn so.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, 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 hath supported by kindness his throne.
29 Mmerante anuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwen nso ne mmasiriwa anuonyam.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
30 Ɔhwe ne apirakuru hohoro amumɔyɛ, mmaatwa tew koma mu.
The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
