Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Ma ɔfoforo nkamfo wo; na ɛnyɛ wo ankasa; ma emfi ɔfoforo anom na ɛnyɛ wo.
Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger and not your own lips.
3 Ɔbo mu yɛ duru, na nwea yɛ adesoa, nanso ɔkwasea abufuwhyew yɛ duru sen emu biara.
Consider the heaviness of a stone and the weight of sand— the provocation of a fool is heavier than both.
4 Abufuw tirim yɛ den, na abufuwhyew sɛe ade, na hena na obetumi agyina ninkutwe ano?
There is the cruelty of rage and the flood of anger, but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Animka a ɛda gua ye sen ɔdɔ a asuma.
Better is an open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Apirakuru a efi adamfo nkyɛn no ye sen ɔtamfo mfewano bebrebe.
Faithful are the wounds caused by a friend, but an enemy may kiss you profusely.
7 Ɛwo nyɛ nea wamee akɔnnɔ, nanso nea ɛyɛ nwen mpo yɛ nea ɔkɔm de no no nʼanom dɛ.
A person who has eaten to the full rejects even a honeycomb, but to the hungry person, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 Onipa a wayera ne fi kwan, te sɛ anomaa a wafi ne berebuw mu rekyinkyin.
Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who strays from where he lives.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Perfume and incense make the heart rejoice, but the sweetness of a friend comes from his sincere 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.
Do not forsake your friend and your friend's father, and do not go to your brother's house on the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is nearby than a brother who is far away.
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 rejoice; then I will give back an answer to the one who mocks me.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man sees trouble and hides himself, but the naive people go on and suffer because of it.
13 Fa atade a ɛhyɛ obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
Whoever gives his neighbor a blessing with a loud voice early in the morning, that blessing will be considered to be a curse!
15 Ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ahumtuda nsusosɔ wɔ ɔdan a enwin so;
A quarreling wife is like the constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 sɛ wopata no a, ɛte sɛ nea wopata mframa anaa wode wo nsa beso ngo mu.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or trying to catch oil in your right hand.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Iron sharpens iron; in the same way, a man sharpens his friend.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and the one who protects his master will be honored.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
Just as water reflects a person's face, so a person's heart reflects the person.
Just as Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, so a man's eyes 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.
A crucible is for silver and a furnace is for gold; and a person is tested when he is praised.
22 Sɛ wowɔw ɔkwasea wɔ ɔwaduru mu, sɛ wode ɔwɔma wɔw no te sɛnea wusiw aburow a, worentumi nyi agyimisɛm mfi ne ho.
Even if you crush a fool with the pestle—along with the grain— yet his foolishness will not leave him.
23 Ma ɛnyɛ wo asɛnhia sɛ wubehu wo nguankuw tebea, na ma wʼani nkɔ wo anantwikuw so;
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks and be concerned about your herds,
24 efisɛ, ahonya ntena hɔ daa, na ahenkyɛw ntena hɔ mma awo ntoantoaso nyinaa.
for wealth is not forever. Does a crown endure for all generations?
25 Sɛ wotwa sare no na foforo fifi, na wɔboaboa nkoko so sare no ano a,
You should know when the hay is gone and the new growth appears, and the time when the grass from the hills is gathered in.
26 ɛno de, nguantenmma no bɛma wo ntama, na mmirekyi ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuw.
Those lambs will provide your clothing and the goats will provide the price of the field.
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
There will be goats' milk for your food—the food for your household— and nourishment for your servant girls.
