Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
[My] son, keep my words, and hide with you my commandments. [My] son, honour the Lord, and you shall be strong; and fear none but him:
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
keep my commandments, and you shall live; and [keep] my words as the pupils of [your] eyes.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
And bind them on your fingers, and write [them] on the table of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
Say that wisdom is your sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for yourself;
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
that she may keep you from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail you with flattering words.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
passing by the corner in the passages near her house,
8 Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
and speaking, in the dark of the evening,
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
when there happens [to be] the stillness of night and of darkness:
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
For at one time she wanders without, and at [another] time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
therefore I came forth to meet you, desiring your face; [and] I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey,
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house.
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from [the right path].
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
And he followed her, being gently led on, and [that] as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow:
23 kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for [his] life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Now then, [my] son, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
Let not your heart turn aside to her ways:
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable.
