Mmebusɛm 23
1 Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ nea esi wʼanim no yiye,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Nni nʼaduan akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi, efisɛ saa aduan no daadaa nnipa.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika; hu nyansa na tɔ wo bo ase.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ebefuw ntaban na atu akɔ wim sɛ ɔkɔre.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛe aduan, nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduan akyi;
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
7 efisɛ ɔyɛ obi a bere biara osusuw sika ho. Ɔka se, “Didi na nom,” nanso ɛnyɛ ne koma mu.
for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe, na ɛno nti wo nkamfo so remma mfaso.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea, efisɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye ngu, na ntra ɔhye nkɔ ayisaa mfuw mu,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 efisɛ wɔn Gyefo yɛ den, na obedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Ma wo koma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so, na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Ntwentwɛn abofra nteɛso so; sɛ wode abaa teɛ no a, ɔrenwu.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Me ba, sɛ wo koma hu nyansa a, ɛno de, me koma ani begye;
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 sɛ wʼano ka nea ɛteɛ a me mu ade nyinaa ani begye.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Mma wʼani mmere abɔnefo, mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden bere biara.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 Ampa ara anidaso wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Me ba, tie, na hu nyansa, ma wo koma mfa ɔkwantrenee so.
Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafo anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ nam mmoroso ho,
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 efisɛ, akɔwensafo ne adidibradafo bɛyɛ ahiafo, na anikum fura wɔn ntamagow.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo wo no, na sɛ wo na bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtiaa.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Tɔ nokware na ntɔn da; nya nyansa, ahohyɛso ne nhumu.
Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Ɔtreneeni agya wɔ anigye bebree; nea ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafo no ani gye ne ho.
The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Ma wʼagya ne wo na ani nnye; ma ɔbea a ɔwoo wo no nnya ahosɛpɛw.
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
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 prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Ɔtɛw, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na ɔma mmarima mu atorofo dɔɔso.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
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 has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Wɔn a wɔkyɛ nsa ho, na wɔka nsa a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Nhwɛ nsa ani kɔkɔɔ no haa, bere a ɛretwa yerɛw yerɛw wɔ kuruwa mu, na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Awiei no, ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ na ɛwɔ bɔre te sɛ ahurutoa.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Wʼani behu nneɛma a wunhuu da, na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a, okura hyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ehinhim wɔ po so.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
35 Na wobɛka se, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mimpira. Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyaw biara. Bere bɛn na menyan akɔpɛ nsa anom bio?”
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
