Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding;
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
That thou mayest preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on the nether-world; (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
Lest she should walk the even path of life, her ways wander, but she knoweth it not.
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house;
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
Lest thou give thy vigour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in the house of an alien;
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
And thou moan, when thine end cometh, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
And say: 'How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
Neither have I hearkened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I was well nigh 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 thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
A lovely hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; with her love be thou ravished always.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
Why then wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of an alien?
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He maketh even all his paths.
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
His own iniquities shall ensnare the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
He shall die for lack of instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall reel.
