Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with you.
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Keep my commandments, and live; and my law 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 table of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
Say to wisdom, You are my sister; and call understanding your kinswoman:
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
And beheld 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; and he went the way to her house,
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now is she without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.)
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
So 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 peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
Therefore came I forth to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen 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 us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For the manager is not at home, he is gone 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, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Listen to me now therefore, O you children, 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 decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For she has cast down many wounded: yes, many strong men have been slain by her.
