Mmebusɛm 25
1 Eyinom yɛ Salomo mmebusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufo kyerɛwee:
These [are] also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo anuonyam.
[It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 Sɛnea ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo koma mu.
The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings [is] unsearchable.
4 Sɛ woyi dwetɛ ho fi a, na ato nea ɛkɔ dwetɛdwumfo nsam;
Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
5 Yi amumɔyɛfo fi ɔhene anim, na trenee bɛma nʼahengua atim.
Take away the wicked [from] before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere dibea wɔ atitiriw mu;
Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great [men: ]
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 better [it is] that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asennii, na sɛ awiei no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a dɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest [thou know not] what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforo ahintasɛm adi,
Debate thy cause with thy neighbour [himself; ] and discover not a secret to another:
10 anyɛ saa a, nea ɔbɛte no begu wʼanim ase na din bɔne a wubenya no rempepa da.
Lest he that heareth [it] put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛnea ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesiei mu.
A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asokaa anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ahyehyɛde te sɛ onyansafo animka a ɔde ma nea ɔyɛ aso ma no.
[As] an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, [so is] a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
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.
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, [so is] a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osu mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛde a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.
15 Ntoboase ma sodifo ti da, na tɛkrɛmabere tumi bu dompe mu.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.
16 Sɛ wunya ɛwo a, nni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fi, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and [so] hate thee.
18 Onipa a odi adansekurum tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ kontibaa, afoa anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour [is] a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare ɔkekaw anaa nan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ nea wode wo ho to ɔtorofo so hiada mu.
Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble [is like] a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.
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.
[As] he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon nitre, so [is] he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
21 Sɛ ɔkɔm de wo tamfo a, ma no aduan nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsu nnom.
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsosɔ nnyansramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.
23 Sɛnea atifi fam mframa de osu ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a edi nseku de omuna ba.
The north wind driveth away rain: so [doth] an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
24 Eye sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
[It is] better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
25 Nsuonwini a ɔkra a atɔ beraw nya no te sɛ anigyesɛm a efi akyirikyiri.
[As] cold waters to a thirsty soul, so [is] good news from a far country.
26 Asuti a afono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ te sɛ ɔtreneeni a ogyaa ne ho ma amumɔyɛfo.
A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.
27 Enye sɛ wodi ɛwo ntraso, saa ara na ɛnyɛ anuonyam sɛ obi bɛhwehwɛ nsɛm a mu dɔ mu.
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is not] glory.
28 Onipa a onni ahohyɛso no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasu abubu agu fam.
He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.
