Mmebusɛm 22
1 Din pa ye sen ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wobedi wo ni ye sen dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 Ɔdefo ne ohiani wɔ ade baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfo.
The rich and poor meet 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] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 Ahobrɛase ne Awuradesuro ɛma ahonya ne anuonyam ne nkwa.
By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honor, and life.
5 Nsɔe ne mfiri wɔ amumɔyɛfo akwan so, nanso nea ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6 Kyerɛ abofra ɔkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ onyin a ɔremfi so.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 Adefo di ahiafo so, na boseagyefo yɛ nea ɔde fɛm somfo.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
8 Nea odua amumɔyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuwhyew abaa.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 Ɔyamyefo benya nhyira efisɛ ɔne ahiafo kyɛ nʼaduan.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Pam ɔfɛwdifo na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwaw ne animka to atwa.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Obi a ɔdɔ koma a mu tew na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam no, benya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
12 Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofo nsɛm.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyiri hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wobekum me wɔ mmɔnten so.”
The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 Ɔbea waresɛefo anom yɛ amoa donkudonku; nea ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuw ase no bɛtɔ mu.
The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD shall fall therein.
15 Agyimisɛm kyekyere abofra koma ho, nanso nteɛso abaa bɛpam no akɔ akyiri.
Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 Obi besisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya, anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefo ade, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [riches], [and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
17 Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wo koma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
Bow down thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
18 efisɛ eye sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wo koma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keepest them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 Sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo nnɛ, yiw ɛyɛ wo.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Menkyerɛw mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, nea ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
Have not I written to thee excellent things 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 make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send to thee?
22 Mmɔ ahiafo korɔn, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafo nti, na nsisi wɔn a wonni bi wɔ asennii,
Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 efisɛ Awurade bedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn, na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafo fa.
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled 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 angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 anyɛ saa a, wubesua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afiri mu.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Nyɛ nea ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu anaasɛ odi akagyinamu;
Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts.
27 na sɛ wunni nea wɔde tua a wobehuam wo mpa mpo afi wʼase.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye, nea wo nenanom de sisii hɔ no.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Wuhu obi a ne nsa akokwaw nʼadwuma ho ana? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwa anim.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
