Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and does not know that it will cost his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
