Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen carefully as I explain what makes sense,
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
so you can make good decisions and protect knowledge with your lips.
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
For the lips of an immoral woman may taste as sweet as honey, the kisses of her mouth may be as smooth as oil,
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
but in the end what you get from her is the bitterness of wormwood and the sharp pain of being cut with a two-edged sword.
She leads you down to death; she takes you down to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
She doesn't follow the path that leads to life—she wanders away and doesn't even know she's lost.
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
Now, my son, listen to me; don't reject what I have taught you.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Stay far away from her! Don't go near the door of her house!
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
Otherwise you'll surrender your honor to others, and your character to cruel people.
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
Strangers will spend your wealth; everything you've worked for will go to someone else.
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
When you come to the end of your life you'll moan in pain as disease destroys your body.
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
You'll say, “How I used to hate discipline, and my mind rebelled against being corrected!
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
I didn't listen to what my teacher said. I didn't pay attention to my instructors.
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
Now I'm on the verge of being completely disgraced before everyone in the community.”
15 Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Why should your springs be spilled outside, your streams of water poured out in the streets?
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
Keep them for yourselves alone. They're not for you to share with strangers.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
May your spring of water be blessed, and may you enjoy the wife you married when you were young.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
May she be to you a loving deer, a graceful doe. May her breasts always be intoxicating to you; may you be drunk on her love forever.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
Why, my son, become intoxicated with an immoral woman? Why embrace the breasts of a woman who acts like a prostitute?
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the Lord sees everything people do, the Lord investigates everywhere they go.
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
The wicked are trapped by their evil actions; the cords of their sins tie them up.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
They will die because they lack self-control, lost because of their great stupidity.
