Mmebusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Seek not to be like evil men, neither desire to be with them:
2 Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
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, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
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: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔtreneeni hwe ase mpɛn ason de, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumɔyɛfo de amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
Lest the Lord see, 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,
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and 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 the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim; na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment.
24 Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ nea odi fɔ se, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no, nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man 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 to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara, wura afuw akata asase no so, na abo afasu no nso abubu.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little 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 shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
