Mmebusɛm 25
1 Eyinom yɛ Salomo mmebusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufo kyerɛwee:
These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo anuonyam.
God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.
3 Sɛnea ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo koma mu.
Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.
4 Sɛ woyi dwetɛ ho fi a, na ato nea ɛkɔ dwetɛdwumfo nsam;
Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.
5 Yi amumɔyɛfo fi ɔhene anim, na trenee bɛma nʼahengua atim.
Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere dibea wɔ atitiriw mu;
Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,
7 Eye ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo se, “Bra soro ha,” sen sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitiriw bi anim. Nea wode wʼani ahu no
for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asennii, na sɛ awiei no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a dɛn na wobɛyɛ?
don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforo ahintasɛm adi,
Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,
10 anyɛ saa a, nea ɔbɛte no begu wʼanim ase na din bɔne a wubenya no rempepa da.
otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛnea ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesiei mu.
Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asokaa anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ahyehyɛde te sɛ onyansafo animka a ɔde ma nea ɔyɛ aso ma no.
Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.
13 Sɛnea sukyerɛmma ma wim dwo wɔ otwabere mu no, saa ara na ɔsomafo nokwafo te ma wɔn a wɔsoma no no; na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osu mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛde a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.
15 Ntoboase ma sodifo ti da, na tɛkrɛmabere tumi bu dompe mu.
If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.
16 Sɛ wunya ɛwo a, nni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fi, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.
18 Onipa a odi adansekurum tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ kontibaa, afoa anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare ɔkekaw anaa nan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ nea wode wo ho to ɔtorofo so hiada mu.
Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.
20 Nea ɔto dwom kyerɛ ɔwerɛhowni no, te sɛ nea ɔpa ntama gu awɔwbere mu anaa te sɛ nsa nyinyanyinya a wohwie gu apirakuru so.
Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.
21 Sɛ ɔkɔm de wo tamfo a, ma no aduan nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsu nnom.
If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsosɔ nnyansramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
23 Sɛnea atifi fam mframa de osu ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a edi nseku de omuna ba.
In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.
24 Eye sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
25 Nsuonwini a ɔkra a atɔ beraw nya no te sɛ anigyesɛm a efi akyirikyiri.
Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.
26 Asuti a afono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ te sɛ ɔtreneeni a ogyaa ne ho ma amumɔyɛfo.
Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
27 Enye sɛ wodi ɛwo ntraso, saa ara na ɛnyɛ anuonyam sɛ obi bɛhwehwɛ nsɛm a mu dɔ mu.
It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.
28 Onipa a onni ahohyɛso no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasu abubu agu fam.
Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.
