Mmebusɛm 4
1 Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
2 Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim, enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima, meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child 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.
He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Nya nyansa, nya ntease; mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.
6 Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
8 Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;
9 Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
12 Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu, bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; Keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men;
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
Avoid it, pass not upon it, Turn from it, and go away.
16 Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna; na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused some to 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.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
19 Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii; wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
The way of the wicked is as thick darkness; They know not at what they stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka; tie me nsɛm no yiye.
My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear to my sayings;
21 Mma emfi wʼani so, fa sie wo koma mu;
Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy 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 all their flesh.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban, efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
24 Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan na fa akwan a atim so.
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
27 Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
