Mmebusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou envious against evil men, nor desire to be with them.
2 Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
For their heart meditates oppression, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established,
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
and by knowledge the chambers are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increases might.
6 nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
For by wise guidance thou shall make thy war, and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
7 Nyansa wɔ soro dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apon ano aguabɔ mu no, ɛnsɛ sɛ wobue wɔn ano.
Wisdom is too high for a fool. He opens not his mouth in the gate.
8 Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
He who devises to do evil, men shall call him a mischief-maker.
9 Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
The thought of folly is sin. And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
Deliver those who are carried away to death, and hold thou back those who are ready to be slain.
12 Sɛ woka se, “Na yennim eyi ho hwee a,” nea ɔkari koma hwɛ no nhu ana? Nea ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim ana? Ɔrentua nea obiara ayɛ so ka ana?
If thou say, Behold, we did not know this, Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? And he who keeps thy soul, does he not know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
13 Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to thy taste,
14 Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
so the knowledge of wisdom is to thy soul. If thou have found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
Lay not in wait, O wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Do not destroy his resting place.
16 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔtreneeni hwe ase mpɛn ason de, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumɔyɛfo de amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.
17 Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thy heart be glad when he is overthrown,
18 efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
lest Jehovah see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti, na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, nor be thou envious at the wicked.
20 efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
For there shall be no reward to the evil man. The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ atuatewfo ho,
My son, fear thou Jehovah and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change.
22 efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim; na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and the destruction from them both, who knows it?
23 Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
These also are from the wise: To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ nea odi fɔ se, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no, nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
He who says to a wicked man, Thou are righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him.
25 Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
But to those who rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
Prepare thy work outside, and make it ready for thee in the field, and afterwards build thy house.
28 Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Nka se, “Nea wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; nea ɔyɛe no mitua no so ka.”
Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.
30 Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
I went by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding.
31 nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara, wura afuw akata asase no so, na abo afasu no nso abubu.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns. The face of it was covered with nettles, and the stone wall of it was broken down.
32 Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
Then I beheld, and considered well. I saw, and received instruction:
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep,
34 bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a okura akode. Na ohia bɛtow akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafo; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfowerɛmfo.
so thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
