Mmebusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2 sɛ nea wokae ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afiri ayi wo a,
You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
3 ɛno de yɛ eyi, me ba, na fa tetew wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka wo no nti: fa ahobrɛase kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na ntɔ nko.
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5 Gye wo ho, sɛnea ɔforote guan fi ɔbɔmmɔfo nsam anaa sɛnea anomaa guan fi ofirisumfo afiri mu no.
Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
6 Ɔkwadwofo, kɔ ɔtɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hu nyansa!
Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7 Onni ɔsahene, onni ɔhwɛfo anaa sodifo bi,
Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 nanso ɔde aduan sie wɔ ahuhurubere mu, ɔboaboa nnuan ano wɔ twabere.
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofo, wobɛda akosi da bɛn? Wubenyan bere bɛn?
How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra,
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo na ahokyere atow akyere wo sɛnea okura otuo.
Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a odi atoro kyin,
A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
13 nea obu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ ade,
Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
14 nea ɔde ne koma mu nnaadaa bɔ pɔw bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba bere biara.
His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
15 Ɛno nti amanehunu bɛba no so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduru.
For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
16 Nneɛma asia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma ason na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwade:
Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atoro tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a edi bem gu,
Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 koma a edwen amumɔyɛ ho, anan a etutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 ɔdansekurumni a odi atoro ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛde na nnyaa wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
21 Fa kyekyere wo koma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
22 Wonantew a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo kwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wunyan a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
23 Na saa ahyɛde yi yɛ kanea saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛso nteɛso yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
24 ɛtwe wo fi ɔbea a onni suban pa no ho, fi ɔbeawarefo huhuni tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ, mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
26 efisɛ oguamanfo ma wʼanuonyam yɛ sɛ brodosin, na obi yere gyigye wo kɔ owu mu.
For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
27 Obi betumi asɔ gya agu ne srɛ so a nhyew nʼatade ana?
May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
28 Obi betumi anantew nnyansramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ nʼanan ho ana?
Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforo yere da no te; obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka no no, remfa ne ho nni da.
So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfo a wakowia ade animtiaa sɛ ɔkɔm de no na ɔde rekodwudwo ano nti.
Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
31 Mmom, sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ otua mmɔho ason; sɛ ɛbɛma wahwere ne fi agyapade nyinaa mpo a.
But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe aware no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
33 Ɔhwe ne animguase na obenya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
34 Ninkutwe hwanyan okunu abufuw na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔbɔ biara nni mu.
For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmude, sɛ ɛso sɛ dɛn mpo a.
He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
