Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep.
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth,
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.
Her feet are going down to death, Sheol do her steps take hold of. (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
The path of life — lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths — thou knowest not.
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house,
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
Lest strangers be filled [with] thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.
15 Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because 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 hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
He dieth without instruction, And in the abundance of his folly magnifieth himself!
