Mmebusɛm 25
1 Eyinom yɛ Salomo mmebusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufo kyerɛwee:
These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.
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 it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.
3 Sɛnea ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo koma mu.
As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings unsearchable!
4 Sɛ woyi dwetɛ ho fi a, na ato nea ɛkɔ dwetɛdwumfo nsam;
Take away the dross from the silver, And there will come forth a vessel for the founder;
5 Yi amumɔyɛfo fi ɔhene anim, na trenee bɛma nʼahengua atim.
Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere dibea wɔ atitiriw mu;
Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself in the place of the great;
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 is it that one should say to thee, “Come up hither!” Than that he should put thee in a lower place, In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes behold.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asennii, na sɛ awiei no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a dɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Go not forth hastily to engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforo ahintasɛm adi,
Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;
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 thy infamy depart not from thee.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛnea ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesiei mu.
A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asokaa anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ahyehyɛde te sɛ onyansafo animka a ɔde ma nea ɔyɛ aso ma no.
As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive 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 spirit of his masters.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osu mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛde a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.
15 Ntoboase ma sodifo ti da, na tɛkrɛmabere tumi bu dompe mu.
By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 Sɛ wunya ɛwo a, nni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fi, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.
18 Onipa a odi adansekurum tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ kontibaa, afoa anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare ɔkekaw anaa nan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ nea wode wo ho to ɔtorofo so hiada mu.
As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.
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 off a garment on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a 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 wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.
23 Sɛnea atifi fam mframa de osu ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a edi nseku de omuna ba.
As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.
24 Eye sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi, sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.
25 Nsuonwini a ɔkra a atɔ beraw nya no te sɛ anigyesɛm a efi akyirikyiri.
As cold water to the thirsty, 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.
As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.
27 Enye sɛ wodi ɛwo ntraso, saa ara na ɛnyɛ anuonyam sɛ obi bɛhwehwɛ nsɛm a mu dɔ mu.
To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.
28 Onipa a onni ahohyɛso no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasu abubu agu fam.
As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.
