Mmebusɛm 4
1 Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
3 Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
4 Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
6 Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
8 Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
9 Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
10 Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
12 Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
16 Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
17 Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
19 Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
22 efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
24 Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
26 Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
27 Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
