Mmebusɛm 22
1 Din pa ye sen ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wobedi wo ni ye sen dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches, and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue golde.
2 Ɔdefo ne ohiani wɔ ade baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfo.
The rich and poore meete together: the Lord is the maker of them all.
3 Onitefo hu amanehunu a ɛreba na ohintaw ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim konya amane.
A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are punished.
4 Ahobrɛase ne Awuradesuro ɛma ahonya ne anuonyam ne nkwa.
The rewarde of humilitie, and the feare of God is riches, and glory, and life.
5 Nsɔe ne mfiri wɔ amumɔyɛfo akwan so, nanso nea ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde: but he that regardeth his soule, will depart farre from them.
6 Kyerɛ abofra ɔkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ onyin a ɔremfi so.
Teache a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is olde, he shall not depart from it.
7 Adefo di ahiafo so, na boseagyefo yɛ nea ɔde fɛm somfo.
The rich ruleth the poore, and the borower is seruant to the man that lendeth.
8 Nea odua amumɔyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuwhyew abaa.
He that soweth iniquitie, shall reape affliction, and the rodde of his anger shall faile.
9 Ɔyamyefo benya nhyira efisɛ ɔne ahiafo kyɛ nʼaduan.
He that hath a good eye, he shalbe blessed: for he giueth of his bread vnto the poore.
10 Pam ɔfɛwdifo na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwaw ne animka to atwa.
Cast out the scorner, and strife shall go out: so contention and reproche shall cease.
11 Obi a ɔdɔ koma a mu tew na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam no, benya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
Hee that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lippes, the King shalbe his friend.
12 Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofo nsɛm.
The eyes of the Lord preserue knowledge: but hee ouerthroweth the wordes of the transgressour.
13 Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyiri hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wobekum me wɔ mmɔnten so.”
The slouthfull man saith, A lyon is without, I shall be slaine in the streete.
14 Ɔbea waresɛefo anom yɛ amoa donkudonku; nea ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuw ase no bɛtɔ mu.
The mouth of strage women is as a deepe pit: he with whom the Lord is angry, shall fall therein.
15 Agyimisɛm kyekyere abofra koma ho, nanso nteɛso abaa bɛpam no akɔ akyiri.
Foolishnesse is bounde in the heart of a childe: but the rodde of correction shall driue it away from him.
16 Obi besisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya, anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefo ade, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
Hee that oppresseth the poore to increase him selfe, and giueth vnto the riche, shall surely come to pouertie.
17 Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wo koma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
Incline thine eare, and heare the wordes of the wise, and apply thine heart vnto my knowledge.
18 efisɛ eye sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wo koma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
For it shalbe pleasant, if thou keepe them in thy bellie, and if they be directed together in thy lippes.
19 Sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo nnɛ, yiw ɛyɛ wo.
That thy confidence may be in the Lord, I haue shewed thee this day: thou therefore take heede.
20 Menkyerɛw mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, nea ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
Haue not I written vnto thee three times in counsels and knowledge,
21 a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokware ne nea akyinnye nni ho, sɛnea wubenya mmuae pa ama nea ɔsomaa wo no ana?
That I might shewe thee the assurance of the wordes of trueth to answere the wordes of trueth to them that sende to thee?
22 Mmɔ ahiafo korɔn, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafo nti, na nsisi wɔn a wonni bi wɔ asennii,
Robbe not the poore, because hee is poore, neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement.
23 efisɛ Awurade bedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn, na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafo fa.
For the Lord will defende their cause, and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them.
24 Mfa obi a ne koma yɛ den no adamfo, na mfa wo ho mmɔ nea ne bo nkyɛ fuw,
Make no friendship with an angrie man, neither goe with the furious man,
25 anyɛ saa a, wubesua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afiri mu.
Least thou learne his wayes, and receiue destruction to thy soule.
26 Nyɛ nea ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu anaasɛ odi akagyinamu;
Be not thou of them that touch the hand, nor among them that are suretie for debts.
27 na sɛ wunni nea wɔde tua a wobehuam wo mpa mpo afi wʼase.
If thou hast nothing to paye, why causest thou that he should take thy bed from vnder thee?
28 Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye, nea wo nenanom de sisii hɔ no.
Thou shalt not remooue the ancient bounds which thy fathers haue made.
29 Wuhu obi a ne nsa akokwaw nʼadwuma ho ana? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwa anim.
Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
