Mmebusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Nyansa wɔ soro dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apon ano aguabɔ mu no, ɛnsɛ sɛ wobue wɔn ano.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
13 Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is 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 learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not 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 the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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 falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
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 anger from him.
19 Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti, na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
For there shall be no posterity 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 the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that 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 up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of 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.
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, 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, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
I passed by the field of the slothful, 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 overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. 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.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
