Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Boast not thyself of tomorrow; 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 the sand weighty; but a fool’s vexation is heavier than them both.
4 Abufuw tirim yɛ den, na abufuwhyew sɛe ade, na hena na obetumi agyina ninkutwe ano?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; 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 loatheth an 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 wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend [that cometh] of 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 to thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: better is a neighbour 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.
My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man seeth the evil, [and] hideth himself: [but] 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 that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge [that is surety] for a strange woman.
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted 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 that would restrain her restraineth the wind, and his right hand encountereth oil.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof; and he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to 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 fining 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 shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among bruised corn, yet will not his foolishness 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 for ever; and doth the crown endure unto 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 sheweth 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 price of the field:
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
And [there will be] goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household; and maintenance for thy maidens.
