Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet 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 near acquaintance;
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
And 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
He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
I have sprinkled 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 caresses.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For the good-man 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 hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of 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 strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Now, therefore, ye children, hearken 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 thy heart turn aside 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 many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
