Mmebusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
By 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.
through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
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 does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
8 Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
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 you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
13 Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling 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 though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17 Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti, na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ atuatewfo ho,
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim; na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality 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.
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Nka se, “Nea wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; nea ɔyɛe no mitua no so ka.”
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara, wura afuw akata asase no so, na abo afasu no nso abubu.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
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.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
