Mmebusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor's loan, if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,
2 sɛ nea wokae ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afiri ayi wo a,
then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise and you have been caught by the words of your mouth.
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!
When you are caught by your words, my son, do this and save yourself, since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor; go and humble yourself and make your case before your neighbor.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na ntɔ nko.
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛnea ɔforote guan fi ɔbɔmmɔfo nsam anaa sɛnea anomaa guan fi ofirisumfo afiri mu no.
Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofo, kɔ ɔtɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hu nyansa!
Look at the ant, you lazy person, consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Onni ɔsahene, onni ɔhwɛfo anaa sodifo bi,
It has no commander, officer, or ruler,
8 nanso ɔde aduan sie wɔ ahuhurubere mu, ɔboaboa nnuan ano wɔ twabere.
yet it prepares its food in the summer and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofo, wobɛda akosi da bɛn? Wubenyan bere bɛn?
How long will you sleep, you lazy person? When will you rise from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra,
“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest”—
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo na ahokyere atow akyere wo sɛnea okura otuo.
and your poverty will come like a robber and your needs like an armed soldier.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a odi atoro kyin,
A worthless person—a wicked man— lives by the crookedness of his speech,
13 nea obu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ ade,
winking his eyes, making signals with his feet and pointing with his fingers.
14 nea ɔde ne koma mu nnaadaa bɔ pɔw bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba bere biara.
He plots evil with deceit in his heart; he always stirs up discord.
15 Ɛno nti amanehunu bɛba no so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduru.
Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 Nneɛma asia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma ason na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwade:
There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are disgusting to him.
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atoro tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a edi bem gu,
The eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies, hands that shed the blood of innocent people,
18 koma a edwen amumɔyɛ ho, anan a etutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
a heart that invents wicked schemes, feet that quickly run to do evil,
19 ɔdansekurumni a odi atoro ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛde na nnyaa wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, obey the command of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
21 Fa kyekyere wo koma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Always bind them on your heart; tie them about your neck.
22 Wonantew a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo kwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wunyan a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will teach you.
23 Na saa ahyɛde yi yɛ kanea saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛso nteɛso yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For the commands are a lamp, and the teaching is a light; the corrections that come by instruction are the way of life.
24 ɛtwe wo fi ɔbea a onni suban pa no ho, fi ɔbeawarefo huhuni tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ, mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.
26 efisɛ oguamanfo ma wʼanuonyam yɛ sɛ brodosin, na obi yere gyigye wo kɔ owu mu.
Sleeping with a prostitute can cost the price of a loaf of bread, but the wife of another may cost you your very life.
27 Obi betumi asɔ gya agu ne srɛ so a nhyew nʼatade ana?
Can a man carry a fire against his chest without burning his clothes?
28 Obi betumi anantew nnyansramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ nʼanan ho ana?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
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 is the man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife; the one who sleeps with her will not go unpunished.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfo a wakowia ade animtiaa sɛ ɔkɔm de no na ɔde rekodwudwo ano nti.
People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his need when he is hungry.
31 Mmom, sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ otua mmɔho ason; sɛ ɛbɛma wahwere ne fi agyapade nyinaa mpo a.
Yet if he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole; he must give up everything of value in his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe aware no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
The one who commits adultery has no sense; the one who does it destroys himself.
33 Ɔhwe ne animguase na obenya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
Wounds and shame are what he deserves and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ninkutwe hwanyan okunu abufuw na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔbɔ biara nni mu.
For jealousy makes a man furious; he will show no mercy when he takes his revenge.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmude, sɛ ɛso sɛ dɛn mpo a.
He will accept no compensation and he cannot be bought off, though you offer him many gifts.
