Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
My sonne, hearken vnto my wisedome, and incline thine eare vnto my knowledge.
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
That thou maiest regarde counsell, and thy lippes obserue knowledge.
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
For the lippes of a strange woman drop as an honie combe, and her mouth is more soft then oyle.
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
But the end of her is bitter as wormewood, and sharpe as a two edged sworde.
Her feete goe downe to death, and her steps take holde on hell. (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
She weigheth not the way of life: her paths are moueable: thou canst not knowe them.
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
Heare yee me nowe therefore, O children, and depart not from the wordes of my mouth.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Keepe thy way farre from her, and come not neere the doore of her house,
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
Least thou giue thine honor vnto others, and thy yeeres to the cruell:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
Least the stranger should be silled with thy strength, and thy labours bee in the house of a stranger,
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
And thou mourne at thine end, (when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy bodie)
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
And say, How haue I hated instruction, and mine heart despised correction!
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
And haue not obeied the voyce of them that taught mee, nor enclined mine eare to them that instructed me!
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I was almost brought into all euil in ye mids of the Congregation and assemblie.
15 Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drinke the water of thy cisterne, and of the riuers out of the middes of thine owne well.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Let thy fountaines flow foorth, and the riuers of waters in the streetes.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
But let them bee thine, euen thine onely, and not the strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
Let thy fountaine be blessed, and reioyce with the wife of thy youth.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
Let her be as the louing hinde and pleasant roe: let her brests satisfie thee at all times, and delite in her loue continually.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
For why shouldest thou delite, my sonne, in a strange woman, or embrace the bosome of a stranger?
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his pathes.
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe, and he shall be holden with the cordes of his owne sinne.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
Hee shall die for fault of instruction, and shall goe astray through his great follie.
