Mmebusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou envious of wicked men, neither crave to be with them;
2 Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
For, violence, their heart muttereth, and, mischief, their lips do speak.
3 Wɔde nyansa na esi fi, na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
In wisdom, is a house builded, and, in understanding, is it established;
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
And, in knowledge, chambers are filled, with all acquisitions, costly and fair.
5 Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
A wise man, is mighty, and, a man of knowledge, becometh alert in vigour.
6 nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
Surely, with concerted measures, shalt thou make for thyself war, and, success, lieth in the greatness of the counsellor.
7 Nyansa wɔ soro dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apon ano aguabɔ mu no, ɛnsɛ sɛ wobue wɔn ano.
Unattainable to a foolish man, are the dictates of wisdom, in the gate, he openeth not his mouth.
8 Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no, wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
He that deviseth to do mischief, him, shall men call, a master of plots.
9 Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
The purpose of folly, is sin, and, an abomination to mankind, is a buffoon.
10 Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
Thou hast been slothful in the day of straitness, Strait, is thy strength.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
Deliver thou such as are being led forth to death, and, them who are tottering to slaughter, oh that thou wouldst hold 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?
Though thou say, Lo! we knew not this, Shall not, he that proveth hearts, himself, discern? And, he that formeth thy soul, himself, know? and bring back to a son of earth according to his deed?
13 Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye; ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, —and droppings from the comb [because they are] sweet to thy palate:
14 Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye, na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
Thus, take knowledge of wisdom, for thine own soul; If thou find it, then there is a future, and, thine expectation, shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo, na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
Do not lie in wait, thou lawless man, against the home of the righteous, —neither destroy thou his place of rest;
16 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔtreneeni hwe ase mpɛn ason de, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumɔyɛfo de amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For, seven times, may the righteous fall and yet arise, but, lawless men, shall stumble into calamity.
17 Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
When thine enemy falleth, do not thou rejoice, and, when he stumbleth, let not thy heart exult:
18 efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
Lest Yahweh see it, and it be wicked in his eyes, and he turn away from him his anger.
19 Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti, na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
Burn not with vexation against evil doers, be not envious of lawless men;
20 efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye, na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
For there shall be no future for the wicked, The lamp of the lawless, shall go out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ atuatewfo ho,
Revere thou Yahweh, my son, and the king, and, with the fickle, have thou no fellowship;
22 efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim; na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
For, suddenly, shall arise their calamity; and, the misfortune of their years, who knoweth?
23 Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka: Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
These things also, concern the wise, To take note of faces 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 that saith to the lawless man, Righteous, thou art, peoples shall denounce him, populations shall curse him;
25 Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
But, to reprovers, one should be pleasant, and, upon them, should come an excellent blessing:
26 Mmuae pa te sɛ mfewano.
Lips, should one kiss with one who answereth in right words.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuw; ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
Prepare, in the open, thy work, and make ready, in the field, for thyself, Afterwards, shalt thou build thy house.
28 Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Do not become a needless witness against thy neighbour, so mightest thou open too wide thy lips:
29 Nka se, “Nea wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; nea ɔyɛe no mitua no so ka.”
Do not say—According to what he hath done to me, so, will I do to him, I will repay every one according to his work.
30 Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho, twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
By the field of the sluggard, I passed, and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense;
31 nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara, wura afuw akata asase no so, na abo afasu no nso abubu.
And lo! there had come up all over it—thorns, there had covered the face thereof—thistles, and, the stone fence thereof, had been thrown down.
32 Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so na misuaa biribi fii mu:
So I observed it, for myself, I applied my heart, I looked—I accepted correction:
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 come in, as a highwayman, thy poverty, and, thy want, as one armed with a shield.
