Mmebusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfi me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara wɔ wo koma mu,
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfe bebree na ɛde yiyedi abrɛ wo.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Mma adɔe ne nokware mmfi wo nkyɛn fa yan wo kɔn mu kyerɛw gu wo koma pon so.
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:
4 Na wubenya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Fa wo koma nyinaa to Awurade so, na mfa wo ho nto wʼankasa ntease so;
Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 hu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛteɛ wʼakwan.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafo; suro Awurade na kyi bɔne.
Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo nipadua, na ayɛ aduan ama wo nnompe.
Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade anuonyam, ne wo nnɔbae a edi kan nyinaa;
Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsa foforo abu afa wʼahina so.
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo so a, tie no yiye, na mmu nʼanimka so,
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
12 Efisɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ohu nyansa, onipa a onya ntease,
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 efisɛ, nimdeɛ so mfaso sen dwetɛ, na nea efi mu ba sen sikakɔkɔɔ.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Ne bo yɛ den sen bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛde biara ntoto no ho.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyade ne anuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼanammɔnkwan nyinaa yɛ asomdwoe.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Ɔyɛ nkwadua ma wɔn a woso ne mu; wɔn a wokura no mu no benya nhyira.
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na ntease mu na ɔde ɔsoro tim hɔ.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Efi ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebun mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ obosu.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Me ba, fa atemmu pa ne nhumu sie, na mma emfi wʼani so;
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, nnwinne a ɛma wo kɔn anuonyam wie pɛyɛ.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan renhintiw;
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bekum.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛe a ɛba amumɔyɛfo so,
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 efisɛ Awurade bɛwɔ wʼafa na ɔbɛkora wo nan afi afiri mu.
For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, bere a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko se: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ bere a wowɔ no saa bere no.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko bere a ɔne wo te yiye.
Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30 Mmɔ obi sobo kwa bere a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara ɛ.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfo, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32 efisɛ Awurade kyi basabasayɛfo na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔtreneeni mu.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi so, na ohyira ɔtreneeni fi.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Odi fɛwdifo a wɔyɛ ahantan no ho fɛw, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefo ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Anyansafo benya anuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafo de, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
