Mmebusɛm 25
1 Eyinom yɛ Salomo mmebusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufo kyerɛwee:
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo anuonyam.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
3 Sɛnea ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo koma mu.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Sɛ woyi dwetɛ ho fi a, na ato nea ɛkɔ dwetɛdwumfo nsam;
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 Yi amumɔyɛfo fi ɔhene anim, na trenee bɛma nʼahengua atim.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere dibea wɔ atitiriw mu;
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
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 is] better for you that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble you in the presence of the prince; speak of that which your eyes have seen.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asennii, na sɛ awiei no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a dɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforo ahintasɛm adi,
Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
10 anyɛ saa a, nea ɔbɛte no begu wʼanim ase na din bɔne a wubenya no rempepa da.
lest your friend continue to reproach you, so your quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to you like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do you keep for yourself, lest you be made liable to reproach; but take heed to your ways peaceably.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛnea ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesiei mu.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asokaa anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ahyehyɛde te sɛ onyansafo animka a ɔde ma nea ɔyɛ aso ma no.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to 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 a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osu mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛde a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 Ntoboase ma sodifo ti da, na tɛkrɛmabere tumi bu dompe mu.
In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Sɛ wunya ɛwo a, nni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fi, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
18 Onipa a odi adansekurum tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ kontibaa, afoa anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare ɔkekaw anaa nan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ nea wode wo ho to ɔtorofo so hiada mu.
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
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 vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
21 Sɛ ɔkɔm de wo tamfo a, ma no aduan nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsu nnom.
If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsosɔ nnyansramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you [with] good.
23 Sɛnea atifi fam mframa de osu ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a edi nseku de omuna ba.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
24 Eye sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
[It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 Nsuonwini a ɔkra a atɔ beraw nya no te sɛ anigyesɛm a efi akyirikyiri.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 Asuti a afono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ te sɛ ɔtreneeni a ogyaa ne ho ma amumɔyɛfo.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
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; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
28 Onipa a onni ahohyɛso no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasu abubu agu fam.
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
