Mmebusɛm 23
1 Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ nea esi wʼanim no yiye,
If you sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before you:
2 Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
and apply your hand, knowing that it behoves you to prepare such [meats]: but if you are 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 you are poor, measure not yourself with a rich man; but refrain yourself in your wisdom.
5 Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ebefuw ntaban na atu akɔ wim sɛ ɔkɔre.
If you should fix your 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 you 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 yourself, nor eat your 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 your 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 your 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 you.
12 Ma wo koma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so, na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
Apply your heart to instruction, and prepare your 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 you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For you shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Me ba, sɛ wo koma hu nyansa a, ɛno de, me koma ani begye;
Son, if your heart be wise, you shall also gladden my heart;
16 sɛ wʼano ka nea ɛteɛ a me mu ade nyinaa ani begye.
and your 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 your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Ampa ara anidaso wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
For if you should keep these things, you shall have posterity; and your 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 your 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.
Listen, [my] son, to your father which begot you, and despise not [your 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 your father and your mother rejoice over you, and let her that bore you be glad.
26 Me ba, fa wo koma ma me na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
[My] son, give me your heart, and let your 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 you should set your eyes on bowls and cups, you shall 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 struck 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 your eyes shall behold a strange woman, then your 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 you shall 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 you shall say, They struck 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?
