Mmebusɛm 21
1 Ɔhene koma da Awurade nsam; ɔkyerɛ no ɔkwan te sɛ asuten ma ɔkɔ baabiara a ɔpɛ.
As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it wherever he may desire to point out.
2 Onipa akwan nyinaa teɛ wɔ nʼani so, nanso Awurade na ɔkari koma.
Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
3 Sɛ woyɛ ade pa ne ade a ɛteɛ a, ɛsɔ Awurade ani sen afɔrebɔ.
To do justly and to speak truth, are more pleasing to God than the blood of sacrifices.
4 Ani a ɛtra ntɔn ne ahomaso koma, ne amumɔyɛfo asetena nyinaa yɛ bɔne!
A high-minded man is stout-hearted in [his] pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin.
5 Nsiyɛfo nhyehyɛe de mfaso ba, sɛnea ntɛmpɛ kowie ohia no.
6 Ahonya a nkontompo tɛkrɛma de ba no, ɛyɛ omununkum a etwa mu kɔ, na ɛsan yɛ owu afiri.
He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity [on] to the snares of death.
7 Amumɔyɛfo basabasayɛ bɛtwe wɔn akɔ, efisɛ wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ.
Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.
8 Onipa a odi fɔ no akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, na nea ne ho nni asɛm no nneyɛe teɛ.
To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.
9 Suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi tena ye sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
[It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top, than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house.
10 Omumɔyɛfo kɔn dɔ bɔne; onni ahummɔbɔ mma ne yɔnko.
The soul of the ungodly shall not be pitied by any man.
11 Sɛ wɔtwe ɔfɛwdifo aso a, ntetekwaafo hu nyansa, sɛ wɔkyerɛkyerɛ onyansafo a, onya nimdeɛ.
When an intemperate man is punished the simple becomes wiser: and a wise man understanding will receive knowledge.
12 Ɔtreneeni no hu nea ɛrekɔ so wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi, na ɔde omumɔyɛfo no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
13 Sɛ onipa sisiw nʼaso wɔ mmɔborɔni su ho a, ɔno nso besu afrɛ, na wɔrennye no so.
He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear [him].
14 Kokoa mu adekyɛ dwudwo koma, kɛtɛasehyɛ nso pata abufuwhyew.
A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath.
15 Sɛ wubu atɛntrenee a, atreneefo ani gye, nanso ɛyɛ ahunahuna ma abɔnefo.
[It is] the joy of the righteous to do judgement: but a holy [man] is abominable with evil-doers.
16 Onipa a ɔman fi nhumu kwan so no bɛhome wɔ awufo fekuw mu.
A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
17 Nea odi ahosɛpɛw akyi no bɛyɛ ohiani; nea ɔpɛ nsa ne ngo no rennya ne ho da.
A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance;
18 Amumɔyɛfo de wɔn nkwa to hɔ ma atreneefo, na atorofo yɛ saa ma wɔn a wɔyɛ pɛ.
and a transgressor is the abomination of a righteous man.
19 Eye sɛ wobɛtena sare so, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo a ne koma haw no no bɛtena.
[It is] better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.
20 Nnuan pa ne ngo ayɛ onyansafo fi ma, nanso ɔkwasea di nea ɔwɔ nyinaa.
A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise; but foolish men will swallow it up.
21 Nea otiw trenee ne ɔdɔ no nya nkwa, yiyedi ne anuonyam.
The way of righteousness and mercy will find life and glory.
22 Onyansafo tow hyɛ ahoɔdenfo kuropɔn so, na odwiriw abandennen a wɔn werɛ hyɛ mu no gu fam.
A wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortress in which the ungodly trusted.
23 Nea ɔkora nʼano ne ne tɛkrɛma no twe ne ho fi amanenya ho.
He that keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble.
24 Ɔhantanni a ɔma ne ho so no, ne din ne “Ɔfɛwdifo” ɔde ahantan ntraso yɛ ade.
A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor.
25 Nea ɔkwadwofo kɔn dɔ no bɛyɛ owu ama no, efisɛ ne nsa mpɛ adwumayɛ.
Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything.
26 Da mu nyinaa ɔpere sɛ obenya bebree, nanso ɔtreneeni de, ɔma a ɔnnodow ho.
An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the righteous is unsparingly merciful and compassionate.
27 Omumɔyɛfo afɔrebɔ yɛ akyiwade, ne titiriw ne sɛ ɔde adwemmɔne bata ho.
The sacrifices of the ungodly are abomination to the Lord, for they offer them wickedly.
28 Ɔdansekurumni bɛyera, na wɔbɛsɛe obiara a otie no no nso.
A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously.
29 Amumɔyɛfo di akakabensɛm, na ɔtreneeni de, osusuw nʼakwan ho.
An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the upright man himself understands his ways.
30 Nyansa, nhumu ne nhyehyɛe biara nni hɔ a ebetumi ayɛ yiye atia Awurade.
There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel against the ungodly.
31 Wosiesie apɔnkɔ ma ɔko da, nanso nkonimdi yɛ Awurade dea.
A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but help is of the Lord.
