Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words and store up my commands within yourself.
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Keep my commands and live and keep my instruction as the apple of your eye.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
Tie 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;
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
in order to keep yourself from the adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her smooth words.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
At the window of my house I was looking out through the lattice.
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
I looked at the naive people, and I noticed among the young men a youth who had no sense.
8 Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
That young man passed down the street near her corner, and he went toward her house.
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
It was twilight, in the evening of the day, at the time of night and darkness.
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
There a woman met him, dressed like a prostitute, with a false heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
She was loud and wayward; her feet did not stay at home.
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now in the streets, then in the market place, and at every corner she waited in ambush.
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
So she grabbed him and kissed him, with a strong face she said to him,
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“I made my peace offering today, I paid my vows,
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
so came I out to meet you, to eagerly seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
I have spread coverings on my bed, colored linens from 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 drink our fill of love until morning; let us take great pleasure in acts of love.
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For my husband is not at his house; 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 took a bag of money with him; he will return on the day of the full moon.”
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
With much talk she turned him; with her smooth lips she misled him.
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
He went after her suddenly like an ox going to slaughter, like a deer caught in a trap,
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 pierces through its liver. He was like a bird rushing into a snare. He did not know that it would cost his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Now, my 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.
May your heart not turn aside onto her paths; do not be led astray onto her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
She has caused many people to fall down pierced; her dead victims are very many.
