Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
[My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply your ear to my words;
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
that you may keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives you a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases your palate:
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
but afterwards you will find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Remove your way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
lest you give away your life to others, and your substance to the merciless:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
lest strangers be filled with your strength, and your labours come into the houses of strangers;
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
And you repent at last, when the flesh of your body is consumed,
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
and you shall say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink waters out of your own vessels, and out of your own springing wells.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Let not waters out of your fountain be spilt by you, but let your waters go into your streets.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
Let them be only your own, and let no stranger partake with you.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
Let your fountain of water be [truly] your own; and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
Let [your] loving hart and your graceful colt company with you, and let her be considered your own, and be with you at all times; for ravished with her love you shall be greatly increased.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold yourself in the arms of a woman not your own.
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
