Mmebusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfi me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara wɔ wo koma mu,
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfe bebree na ɛde yiyedi abrɛ wo.
For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
3 Mma adɔe ne nokware mmfi wo nkyɛn fa yan wo kɔn mu kyerɛw gu wo koma pon so.
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Na wubenya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Fa wo koma nyinaa to Awurade so, na mfa wo ho nto wʼankasa ntease so;
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 hu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛteɛ wʼakwan.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafo; suro Awurade na kyi bɔne.
Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo nipadua, na ayɛ aduan ama wo nnompe.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade anuonyam, ne wo nnɔbae a edi kan nyinaa;
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsa foforo abu afa wʼahina so.
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo so a, tie no yiye, na mmu nʼanimka so,
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
12 Efisɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.
For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ohu nyansa, onipa a onya ntease,
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth 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, And than gold — her increase.
15 Ne bo yɛ den sen bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛde biara ntoto no ho.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to 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] wealth 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 she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na ntease mu na ɔde ɔsoro tim hɔ.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 Efi ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebun mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ obosu.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmu pa ne nhumu sie, na mma emfi wʼani so;
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, nnwinne a ɛma wo kɔn anuonyam wie pɛyɛ.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan renhintiw;
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bekum.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛe a ɛba amumɔyɛfo so,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 efisɛ Awurade bɛwɔ wʼafa na ɔbɛkora wo nan afi afiri mu.
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, bere a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God to do [it].
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko se: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ bere a wowɔ no saa bere no.
Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko bere a ɔne wo te yiye.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Mmɔ obi sobo kwa bere a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara ɛ.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfo, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32 efisɛ Awurade kyi basabasayɛfo na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔtreneeni mu.
For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi so, na ohyira ɔtreneeni fi.
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 Odi fɛwdifo a wɔyɛ ahantan no ho fɛw, na ɔdom ahobrɛasefo ne wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Anyansafo benya anuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafo de, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
