Mmebusɛm 4
1 Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
3 Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
For I also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved in the sight of [my] mother:
4 Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se, “Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm, di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
5 Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
6 Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8 Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you;
9 Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
10 Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
12 Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
16 Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
17 Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo, na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
18 Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
But the ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
21 Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
22 efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to all [their] flesh.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
24 Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
26 Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
27 Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
