Mmebusɛm 26
1 Sɛnea sukyerɛmma te ahuhurubere anaasɛ osu wɔ otwabere no, saa ara na anuonyam mfata ɔkwasea.
Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.
2 Sɛnea apatuprɛw tu anaasɛ asomfena tu dannan ne ho no, saa ara na nnuabɔ hunu nsi hwee.
Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 Ɔkafo abaa wɔ hɔ ma ɔpɔnkɔ, nnareka wɔ hɔ ma afurum, na abaa wɔ hɔ ma nkwaseafo akyi.
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Nhwɛ ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so mma no mmuae, anyɛ saa a wo nso bɛyɛ sɛ ɔno.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.
5 Gyina ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so ma no mmuae, anyɛ saa a ɛbɛyɛ no sɛ onim nyansa.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.
6 Sɛ wode nkra bi soma ɔkwasea a, ɛte sɛ wutwitwa wʼankasa wʼanan anaasɛ wonom awuduru.
Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Apakye nan a awu na ɛsensɛn hɔ no, yɛ mmebusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Ɔbo a wɔakyekyere afam ahwimmo so te sɛ anuonyam a wɔde ama ɔkwasea.
Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 Nsɔe dua a ɔkɔwensani kita no te sɛ mmebusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
Like a thorn that falls into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Nea ɔbɔ ɔkwasea anaa obi hunu paa no te sɛ agyantowni a opira nnipa kwa.
Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.
11 Sɛnea ɔkraman san kɔ ne fe ho no, saa ara na ɔkwasea ti nʼagyimisɛm mu.
As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
12 Wuhu obi a ɔyɛ onyansafo wɔ nʼankasa ani so ana? Anidaso pii wɔ ɔkwasea mu sen no.
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata wɔ ɔkwan no mu, gyatakeka nenam mmɔnten no so!”
The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”
14 Sɛnea ɔpon di akɔneaba wɔ ne mpontare so no, saa ara na ɔkwadwofo twa ne ho wɔ ne mpa so.
As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.
15 Ɔkwadwofo de ne nsa si aduan mu, na ɛyɛ no anihaw sɛ obeyi akɔ nʼano.
The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 Ɔkwadwofo yɛ onyansafo wɔ ɔno ankasa ani so sen nnipa baason a wodwen asɛm ho na wɔabua.
The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.
17 Obi a oso ɔkraman aso twe no no te sɛ obi a ɔretwa mu na ɔde ne ho kɔfra ntɔkwaw a ɛmfa ne ho mu.
Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 Ɔbɔdamfo a ɔtotow atuo anaa agyanwerɛmfo no
Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,
19 te sɛ obi a, ɔdaadaa ne yɔnko na ɔka se, “Na mede redi agoru!”
so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”
20 Nnyansin hi a ogya dum; nseku nni hɔ a ntɔkwaw to twa.
Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
21 Sɛnea gyabiriw dan nnyansramma na nnyina dan ogya no, saa ara na ɔtɔkwapɛfo hyɛ ntɔkwaw mu takramugya.
Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 Osekuni ano asɛm te sɛ aduan a ɛyɛ dɛ; ɛhyɛnhyɛn onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.
23 Sɛnea ama kata asankagow ho no saa ara na tɛkrɛmadɛ kata amumɔyɛ koma so.
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 Onipa bɔne kasa te sɛ nea oye, nanso nnaadaa ahyɛ ne koma ma.
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne kasa yɛ dɛ de, nanso nnye no nni, efisɛ abususɛm ason ahyɛ ne koma ma.
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
26 Ebia nnaadaa bɛkata nʼadwemmɔne so, nanso nʼamumɔyɛsɛm bɛda adi wɔ bagua mu.
Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Sɛ onipa tu amoa a, ɔbɛtɔ mu; sɛ onipa pirew ɔbo a, ɛbɛsan aba no so.
He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28 Atoro tɛkrɛma kyi wɔn a ogu wɔn ho fi, na adɛfɛdɛfɛ ano de ɔsɛe ba.
A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
