Mmebusɛm 23
1 Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ nea esi wʼanim no yiye,
If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before thee:
2 Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such [meats]: but if thou art very insatiable,
3 Nni nʼaduan akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi, efisɛ saa aduan no daadaa nnipa.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika; hu nyansa na tɔ wo bo ase.
If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy wisdom.
5 Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ebefuw ntaban na atu akɔ wim sɛ ɔkɔre.
If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛe aduan, nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduan akyi;
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his meats:
7 efisɛ ɔyɛ obi a bere biara osusuw sika ho. Ɔka se, “Didi na nom,” nanso ɛnyɛ ne koma mu.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:
8 Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe, na ɛno nti wo nkamfo so remma mfaso.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.
9 Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea, efisɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.
10 Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye ngu, na ntra ɔhye nkɔ ayisaa mfuw mu,
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 efisɛ wɔn Gyefo yɛ den, na obedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.
12 Ma wo koma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so, na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
Apply thine heart to instruction, and prepare thine ears for words of discretion.
13 Ntwentwɛn abofra nteɛso so; sɛ wode abaa teɛ no a, ɔrenwu.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Me ba, sɛ wo koma hu nyansa a, ɛno de, me koma ani begye;
Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart;
16 sɛ wʼano ka nea ɛteɛ a me mu ade nyinaa ani begye.
and thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Mma wʼani mmere abɔnefo, mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden bere biara.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Ampa ara anidaso wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed.
19 Me ba, tie, na hu nyansa, ma wo koma mfa ɔkwantrenee so.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart.
20 Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafo anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ nam mmoroso ho,
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 efisɛ, akɔwensafo ne adidibradafo bɛyɛ ahiafo, na anikum fura wɔn ntamagow.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo wo no, na sɛ wo na bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtiaa.
Hearken, [my] son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not [thy mother] because she is grown old.
23 Tɔ nokware na ntɔn da; nya nyansa, ahohyɛso ne nhumu.
24 Ɔtreneeni agya wɔ anigye bebree; nea ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafo no ani gye ne ho.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Ma wʼagya ne wo na ani nnye; ma ɔbea a ɔwoo wo no nnya ahosɛpɛw.
Let thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad.
26 Me ba, fa wo koma ma me na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
[My] son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 na oguamanfo yɛ amoa donkudonku ɔyere huhuni yɛ ɔdaadaafo.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Ɔtɛw, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na ɔma mmarima mu atorofo dɔɔso.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Hena na wɔadome no? Hena na odi awerɛhow? Hena na odi aperepere? Hena na onwiinwii? Hena na ɔwɔ atape nko ara? Hena na mogya ada nʼani so?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Wɔn a wɔkyɛ nsa ho, na wɔka nsa a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Nhwɛ nsa ani kɔkɔɔ no haa, bere a ɛretwa yerɛw yerɛw wɔ kuruwa mu, na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Awiei no, ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ na ɛwɔ bɔre te sɛ ahurutoa.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 Wʼani behu nneɛma a wunhuu da, na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a, okura hyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ehinhim wɔ po so.
And thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 Na wobɛka se, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mimpira. Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyaw biara. Bere bɛn na menyan akɔpɛ nsa anom bio?”
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
