Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou know not what a day may bring forth.
2 Ma ɔfoforo nkamfo wo; na ɛnyɛ wo ankasa; ma emfi ɔfoforo anom na ɛnyɛ wo.
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Ɔbo mu yɛ duru, na nwea yɛ adesoa, nanso ɔkwasea abufuwhyew yɛ duru sen emu biara.
A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fool's vexation is heavier than both.
4 Abufuw tirim yɛ den, na abufuwhyew sɛe ade, na hena na obetumi agyina ninkutwe ano?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Animka a ɛda gua ye sen ɔdɔ a asuma.
Better is open rebuke than love that is hidden.
6 Apirakuru a efi adamfo nkyɛn no ye sen ɔtamfo mfewano bebrebe.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 Ɛwo nyɛ nea wamee akɔnnɔ, nanso nea ɛyɛ nwen mpo yɛ nea ɔkɔm de no no nʼanom dɛ.
The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Onipa a wayera ne fi kwan, te sɛ anomaa a wafi ne berebuw mu rekyinkyin.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his place.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Oil and perfume rejoice the heart, so too the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.
10 Nnyaa wʼadamfo ne wʼagya adamfo mu, nkɔ wo nuabarima fi bere a ɔhaw ato wo, na ɔyɔnko a ɔbɛn wo no ye sen onuabarima a ɔwɔ akyirikyiri.
Forsake not thine own friend, and thy father's friend. And go not to thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity. Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far off.
11 Me ba, hu nyansa na ma me koma ani nnye; ɛno na ɛbɛma manya mmuae ama obiara a obu me animtiaa.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man sees the evil, and hides himself. The simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Fa atade a ɛhyɛ obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take his garment who is surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge who is surety for a strange woman.
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be considered a curse to him.
15 Ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ahumtuda nsusosɔ wɔ ɔdan a enwin so;
A continual dropping in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman are alike.
16 sɛ wopata no a, ɛte sɛ nea wopata mframa anaa wode wo nsa beso ngo mu.
He who would restrain her restrains the wind, and his right hand encounters oil.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
He who keeps the fig tree shall eat the fruit of it, and he who regards his master shall be honored.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
As in water face is to face, so the heart of a man is to a man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Kyɛmfɛre wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ, nanso wɔnam nkamfo a onipa nya so na ɛsɔ no hwɛ.
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by his praise.
22 Sɛ wowɔw ɔkwasea wɔ ɔwaduru mu, sɛ wode ɔwɔma wɔw no te sɛnea wusiw aburow a, worentumi nyi agyimisɛm mfi ne ho.
Though thou should pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Ma ɛnyɛ wo asɛnhia sɛ wubehu wo nguankuw tebea, na ma wʼani nkɔ wo anantwikuw so;
Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
24 efisɛ, ahonya ntena hɔ daa, na ahenkyɛw ntena hɔ mma awo ntoantoaso nyinaa.
For riches are not forever. And does the crown endure to all generations?
25 Sɛ wotwa sare no na foforo fifi, na wɔboaboa nkoko so sare no ano a,
The hay is carried, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in.
26 ɛno de, nguantenmma no bɛma wo ntama, na mmirekyi ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuw.
The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the cost of the field.
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
And then will be goats' milk enough for thy food; for the food of thy household, and maintenance for thy maidens.
