Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, observe my sayings, and my commandments must thou treasure up with thee.
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Observe my commandments, and live: and my teaching as the apple of thy eyes.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
Bind them around thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That they may keep thee from an adulterous woman, from an alien that useth flattering speeches.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For through the window of my house, through my lattice did I [once] look out,
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a lad void of sense;
8 Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
He was passing through the market-place near her corner; and he stepped along on 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 depth of the night and when it was dark:
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
And, behold, a woman came to meet him with the attire of a harlot, and obdurate of heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
(She is noisy and ungovernable; in her house her feet never rest;
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
At one time she is in the street, at another in the open places, and near every corner doth she lurk, )
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
And she caught hold of him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him,
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“I had bound myself to bring peace-offerings; this day have I paid my vows:
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
Therefore am I come forth to meet thee, to seek thy presence diligently, and I have found thee.
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
With tapestry coverings have I decked my bed, with embroidered coverlids of the fine linen of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
I have sprinkled my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
Come, let us indulge in love until the morning: let us delight ourselves with dalliances.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For the man is not in his house, he is gone on a journey a great way off:
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
The bag of money hath he taken with him, by the day of the new-moon festival only will he come home.”
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
She seduced him by the abundance of her reasoning: by the flattery of her lips she misguided him.
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
He followed after her suddenly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as in fetters to his correction, the fool:
23 kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Till an arrow cleaveth through his liver; as a bird hasteneth into the snare, and knoweth not that it is done to take his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
And now, O children, hearken unto me, and listen to the sayings of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways, do not go astray on her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For many deadly wounded hath she caused to fall: yea, very numerous are all those slain by her.
