Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Boast not thyself of to-morrow; For thou knowest 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 sand is weighty; But a fool's wrath 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 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 kept concealed.
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 deceitful.
7 Ɛwo nyɛ nea wamee akɔnnɔ, nanso nea ɛyɛ nwen mpo yɛ nea ɔkɔm de no no nʼanom dɛ.
He who is fed to the full loatheth the honeycomb; But to the hungry any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Onipa a wayera ne fi kwan, te sɛ anomaa a wafi ne berebuw mu rekyinkyin.
As a bird that wandereth from its nest, So is a man who wandereth from his place.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Oil and perfume gladden the heart; Sweet also is one'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.
Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not; And go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity. Better is a neighbor that is near, 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.
Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, That I may give an answer to him that reproacheth me.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; The simple pass on, and are punished.
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 another; Yea, take a pledge of him who is bound for a stranger.
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
He who blesseth his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early for it, It shall be accounted to him as a curse.
15 Ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ahumtuda nsusosɔ wɔ ɔdan a enwin so;
A continual dropping in a very rainy day And a quarrelsome wife are alike.
16 sɛ wopata no a, ɛte sɛ nea wopata mframa anaa wode wo nsa beso ngo mu.
He who restraineth her restraineth the wind; And his right hand layeth hold of oil.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Iron sharpeneth iron; So one man sharpeneth the face of another.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
He that watcheth the fig-tree shall eat its fruit; So he that is careful for his master shall come to honor.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
As in water face answereth to face, So doth the heart of man to man.
The realms of the dead are never full; So 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; So let a man be to the mouth that giveth him 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 shouldst beat a fool in a mortar, Among bruised wheat, with a pestle, Yet will not his folly 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 last not for ever; Not even a crown endureth from generation to generation.
25 Sɛ wotwa sare no na foforo fifi, na wɔboaboa nkoko so sare no ano a,
The hay disappeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, And the herbage of the mountains is gathered in.
26 ɛno de, nguantenmma no bɛma wo ntama, na mmirekyi ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuw.
The lambs are thy clothing, And the goats the price of thy field.
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
There is goat's milk enough for thy food, For the food of thy household, And for the sustenance of thy maidens.
