Mmebusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfi me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara wɔ wo koma mu,
My son, do not forget what I have taught you. Keep my commands in your inner being,
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfe bebree na ɛde yiyedi abrɛ wo.
because [if you obey them] you will live a long time and things will go well for you
3 Mma adɔe ne nokware mmfi wo nkyɛn fa yan wo kɔn mu kyerɛw gu wo koma pon so.
Always faithfully love others and (be faithful/do what you say that you will do); doing those things [will cause others to be pleased with you]; it will be as though you are wearing a beautiful necklace. Keep those things in your mind/inner being.
4 Na wubenya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
If you do, God and people will approve of you and think highly of you [MTY].
5 Fa wo koma nyinaa to Awurade so, na mfa wo ho nto wʼankasa ntease so;
Trust in Yahweh completely, and do not rely on what you yourself understand.
6 hu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛteɛ wʼakwan.
Always allow him to lead you. If you do that, he will (show you the right path/direct your life).
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafo; suro Awurade na kyi bɔne.
Do not be proud of being wise. [Instead], revere Yahweh and turn away from doing evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo nipadua, na ayɛ aduan ama wo nnompe.
If you do that, your body will be healthy/strong; it will be [like] medicine for you.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade anuonyam, ne wo nnɔbae a edi kan nyinaa;
Honor Yahweh by [what you do with] your money; and [by giving him] the first part of your harvest.
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsa foforo abu afa wʼahina so.
If you do that, [you will have a good harvest]. Yahweh will fill your barns [with grain], and your vats/containers will be overflowing with [grape juice for making] wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo so a, tie no yiye, na mmu nʼanimka so,
My son, when Yahweh disciplines/corrects you, do not despise it, and if he rebukes you, do not resent it.
12 Efisɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.
[I say that] because it is the people whom Yahweh loves that he corrects/reproves, [just] like parents correct/reprove their sons whom they love.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ohu nyansa, onipa a onya ntease,
[Yahweh] is pleased with those who become wise and have good understanding.
14 efisɛ, nimdeɛ so mfaso sen dwetɛ, na nea efi mu ba sen sikakɔkɔɔ.
Being wise and having good understanding is worth more than silver, better than gold.
15 Ne bo yɛ den sen bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛde biara ntoto no ho.
Being wise is more precious than (jewels/precious stones); there is nothing that you could desire [that would be as valuable] as wisdom.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyade ne anuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
On the one hand, wisdom [PRS] enables [you] to live a long life, and on the other hand, wisdom enables [you] to become rich and to be honored.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼanammɔnkwan nyinaa yɛ asomdwoe.
If [you] are wise, [your] life will be pleasant, and things will go well [for you].
18 Ɔyɛ nkwadua ma wɔn a woso ne mu; wɔn a wokura no mu no benya nhyira.
Wisdom is [like] a tree that gives long life to those who [eagerly] take hold of it, and [Yahweh] is pleased with those who hold onto it tightly.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na ntease mu na ɔde ɔsoro tim hɔ.
By his wisdom Yahweh created the earth, and by his understanding he put everything in the skies.
20 Efi ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebun mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ obosu.
By his knowledge [he caused] the water that was beneath the earth to burst forth, and he caused rain to fall from the clouds.
21 Me ba, fa atemmu pa ne nhumu sie, na mma emfi wʼani so;
My son, [always] keep doing things that are right and things that are smart. If you do that,
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, nnwinne a ɛma wo kɔn anuonyam wie pɛyɛ.
you will live [many years] and be honored and respected {people will honor and respect you}.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan renhintiw;
If you do what is right and wise, you will [be able to] walk safely, and you will not (stumble/do things that are wrong) [MET].
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bekum.
You will [be able to] lie down [at night] and not be afraid [of anything], and you will sleep peacefully.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛe a ɛba amumɔyɛfo so,
You will not be afraid that something disastrous will happen to you or that storms that strike the wicked will strike you,
26 efisɛ Awurade bɛwɔ wʼafa na ɔbɛkora wo nan afi afiri mu.
because you will be confident that Yahweh [will take care of you]. He will not let your foot be caught in a trap/snare.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, bere a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
If you are able to help people who deserve it, do not refuse to help them.
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko se: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ bere a wowɔ no saa bere no.
If you are able to help someone you interact with, do not say, “Come back later; [perhaps] I can help you tomorrow.”
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko bere a ɔne wo te yiye.
Do not make plans to harm those you interact with regularly, [because] they live near you, and they trust you.
30 Mmɔ obi sobo kwa bere a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara ɛ.
If someone has not harmed you, do not accuse him [by saying that he has harmed you].
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfo, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Do not envy people who [obtain things by] violent actions, and do not imitate/do what they do.
32 efisɛ Awurade kyi basabasayɛfo na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔtreneeni mu.
[I say that] because Yahweh considers such people to be abominable/detestable; but he is a friend to [all] those who do what is right.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi so, na ohyira ɔtreneeni fi.
Yahweh curses the families [MTY] of those who are wicked, but he blesses the families of those who are good/righteous.
34 Odi fɛwdifo a wɔyɛ ahantan no ho fɛw, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefo ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no.
Yahweh makes fun of those who make fun [of others], but he kindly helps those who are humble.
35 Anyansafo benya anuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafo de, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
Wise [people] will be honored {people will honor wise people}, but foolish people will be dishonored/disgraced.
