Mmebusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfi me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara wɔ wo koma mu,
My son, mine instruction, do not thou forget, and, my commandment, let thy heart observe;
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfe bebree na ɛde yiyedi abrɛ wo.
For, length of days and years of life, and blessedness, shall they add to thee.
3 Mma adɔe ne nokware mmfi wo nkyɛn fa yan wo kɔn mu kyerɛw gu wo koma pon so.
Lovingkindness and faithfulness, let them not forsake thee, —bind them, upon thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 Na wubenya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
So find thou favour and good repute, in the eyes of God and man.
5 Fa wo koma nyinaa to Awurade so, na mfa wo ho nto wʼankasa ntease so;
Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean:
6 hu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛteɛ wʼakwan.
In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafo; suro Awurade na kyi bɔne.
Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo nipadua, na ayɛ aduan ama wo nnompe.
Healing, shall it be to thy body, and refreshing, to thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade anuonyam, ne wo nnɔbae a edi kan nyinaa;
Honour thou Yahweh, with thy substance, and with the firstfruit of all thine increase;
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsa foforo abu afa wʼahina so.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and, with new wine, shall thy vats overflow.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo so a, tie no yiye, na mmu nʼanimka so,
The, chastening of Yahweh, my son, do not reject, nor loathe his rebuke;
12 Efisɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.
For, whom Yahweh loveth, he correcteth, he causeth pain to the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ohu nyansa, onipa a onya ntease,
How happy the man who hath found wisdom, and the man who draweth forth understanding,
14 efisɛ, nimdeɛ so mfaso sen dwetɛ, na nea efi mu ba sen sikakɔkɔɔ.
For better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
15 Ne bo yɛ den sen bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛde biara ntoto no ho.
More precious, is she, than corals, yea, none of thy delightful things, doth equal her:
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyade ne anuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
Length of days, is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour;
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼanammɔnkwan nyinaa yɛ asomdwoe.
Her ways, are ways of pleasantness, and, all her paths, are peace;
18 Ɔyɛ nkwadua ma wɔn a woso ne mu; wɔn a wokura no mu no benya nhyira.
A tree of life, is she, to them who secure her, —and, they who hold her fast, are every one to be pronounced happy.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na ntease mu na ɔde ɔsoro tim hɔ.
Yahweh, in wisdom, founded the earth, establishing the heavens with understanding;
20 Efi ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebun mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ obosu.
By his knowledge, the resounding deeps were burst open, and, the skies, drop down dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmu pa ne nhumu sie, na mma emfi wʼani so;
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes, guard thou counsel, and purpose:
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, nnwinne a ɛma wo kɔn anuonyam wie pɛyɛ.
So shall they become life to thy soul, and an adorning to thy neck;
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan renhintiw;
Then, shalt thou walk securely in thy way, and, thy foot, shall not stumble;
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bekum.
When thou sittest down, thou shalt have no dread, yea thou shalt lie down, and sweet shall be thy sleep.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛe a ɛba amumɔyɛfo so,
Be not thou afraid of sudden dread, nor of the desolation of the lawless, when it cometh.
26 efisɛ Awurade bɛwɔ wʼafa na ɔbɛkora wo nan afi afiri mu.
For, Yahweh, will be in all thy ways, and will keep thy foot from the snare.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, bere a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Withhold not good from them who ask it, when it is in power of thy hand to do it:
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko se: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ bere a wowɔ no saa bere no.
Do not say to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko bere a ɔne wo te yiye.
Devise not against thy neighbour an injury, seeing that, he, dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Mmɔ obi sobo kwa bere a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara ɛ.
Contend not with a man without cause, if he hath dealt thee no wrong.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfo, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Do not thou envy the man of violence, neither choose thou any of his ways;
32 efisɛ Awurade kyi basabasayɛfo na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔtreneeni mu.
For, an abomination to Yahweh, is the tortuous man, but, with the upright, he is intimate.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi so, na ohyira ɔtreneeni fi.
The curse of Yahweh, is in the house of the lawless one, but, the home of the righteous, he blesseth.
34 Odi fɛwdifo a wɔyɛ ahantan no ho fɛw, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefo ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no.
Though at scoffers he scoffeth, yet, to the humbled, he granteth favour.
35 Anyansafo benya anuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafo de, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
Honour, shall the wise inherit, —but, as for dullards, shame shall carry them away.
