Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Ma ɔfoforo nkamfo wo; na ɛnyɛ wo ankasa; ma emfi ɔfoforo anom na ɛnyɛ wo.
Let another man 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.
A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation 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 hidden love.
6 Apirakuru a efi adamfo nkyɛn no ye sen ɔtamfo mfewano bebrebe.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, although 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.
A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a 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 home.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
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.
Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbour who is near is better than a distant brother.
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 bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; 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 when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 Ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ahumtuda nsusosɔ wɔ ɔdan a enwin so;
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
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 like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honoured.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and 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.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined 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 you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Ma ɛnyɛ wo asɛnhia sɛ wubehu wo nguankuw tebea, na ma wʼani nkɔ wo anantwikuw so;
Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
24 efisɛ, ahonya ntena hɔ daa, na ahenkyɛw ntena hɔ mma awo ntoantoaso nyinaa.
for riches are not forever, nor 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 removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 ɛno de, nguantenmma no bɛma wo ntama, na mmirekyi ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuw.
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
