Mmebusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2 sɛ nea wokae ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afiri ayi wo a,
then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
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!
Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na ntɔ nko.
Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛnea ɔforote guan fi ɔbɔmmɔfo nsam anaa sɛnea anomaa guan fi ofirisumfo afiri mu no.
Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofo, kɔ ɔtɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hu nyansa!
Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7 Onni ɔsahene, onni ɔhwɛfo anaa sodifo bi,
For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8 nanso ɔde aduan sie wɔ ahuhurubere mu, ɔboaboa nnuan ano wɔ twabere.
she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofo, wobɛda akosi da bɛn? Wubenyan bere bɛn?
How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra,
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo na ahokyere atow akyere wo sɛnea okura otuo.
and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a odi atoro kyin,
An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 nea obu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ ade,
he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14 nea ɔde ne koma mu nnaadaa bɔ pɔw bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba bere biara.
With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15 Ɛno nti amanehunu bɛba no so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduru.
To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16 Nneɛma asia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma ason na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwade:
Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atoro tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a edi bem gu,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 koma a edwen amumɔyɛ ho, anan a etutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19 ɔdansekurumni a odi atoro ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛde na nnyaa wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21 Fa kyekyere wo koma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
22 Wonantew a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo kwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wunyan a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23 Na saa ahyɛde yi yɛ kanea saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛso nteɛso yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24 ɛtwe wo fi ɔbea a onni suban pa no ho, fi ɔbeawarefo huhuni tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ, mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26 efisɛ oguamanfo ma wʼanuonyam yɛ sɛ brodosin, na obi yere gyigye wo kɔ owu mu.
For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27 Obi betumi asɔ gya agu ne srɛ so a nhyew nʼatade ana?
Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28 Obi betumi anantew nnyansramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ nʼanan ho ana?
Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would 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 also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfo a wakowia ade animtiaa sɛ ɔkɔm de no na ɔde rekodwudwo ano nti.
Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
31 Mmom, sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ otua mmɔho ason; sɛ ɛbɛma wahwere ne fi agyapade nyinaa mpo a.
Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe aware no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33 Ɔhwe ne animguase na obenya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ninkutwe hwanyan okunu abufuw na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔbɔ biara nni mu.
For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmude, sɛ ɛso sɛ dɛn mpo a.
nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
