Mmebusɛm 8
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Ntease ma ne nne so.
Doth not wisedome crie? and vnderstanding vtter her voyce?
2 Ɔkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na egyina,
She standeth in the top of the high places by the way in the place of the paths.
3 apon a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu no ho, ɛteɛ mu wɔ abobow ano hɔ se,
She cryeth besides the gates before the citie at the entrie of the doores,
4 “Ao, mo nnipa na meteɛ mu refrɛ; meteɛ mu frɛ adesamma nyinaa.
O men, I call vnto you, and vtter my voyce to the children of men.
5 Mo a moyɛ ntetekwaa, momma mo ani ntew; mo a moyɛ nkwaseafo, munnya ntease.
O ye foolish men, vnderstand wisedome, and ye, O fooles, be wise in heart.
6 Muntie, na mewɔ nsɛm pa bi ka kyerɛ mo; mibue mʼano ka nea eye.
Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
7 Mʼano ka nea ɛyɛ nokware, efisɛ mʼanofafa kyi amumɔyɛsɛm.
For my mouth shall speake the trueth, and my lippes abhorre wickednesse.
8 Mʼanom nsɛm nyinaa yɛ pɛ; biara nni mu a ɛyɛ nkontompo anaa nnaadaasɛm.
All the wordes of my mouth are righteous: there is no lewdenes, nor frowardnesse in them.
9 Ne nyinaa mu da hɔ ma nea ɔwɔ nhumu; ɛho nni asɛm ma wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ.
They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande, and streight to them that woulde finde knowledge.
10 Mompo dwetɛ na momfa mʼakwankyerɛ, momfa nimdeɛ na mompo sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa.
Receiue mine instruction, and not siluer, and knowledge rather then fine golde.
11 Efisɛ nimdeɛ som bo sen bota, na worentumi mfa nea wopɛ biara ntoto no ho.
For wisdome is better then precious stones: and all pleasures are not to be compared vnto her.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene anitew na ɛte; nimdeɛ ne nhumu wɔ me.
I wisdome dwell with prudence, and I find foorth knowledge and counsels.
13 Sɛ wosuro Awurade ɛne sɛ wokyi bɔne; mikyi ahantan ne ahomaso, ɔbra bɔne ne nnaadaasɛm.
The feare of the Lord is to hate euill as pride, and arrogancie, and the euill way: and a mouth that speaketh lewde things, I doe hate.
14 Afotu ne atemmu pa wɔ me; mewɔ ntease ne tumi.
I haue counsell and wisedome: I am vnderstanding, and I haue strength.
15 Me so na ahemfo nam di ade na sodifo nam me so hyehyɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ;
By me, Kings reigne, and princes decree iustice.
16 Mmapɔmma de me bu ɔman ne atitiriw nyinaa a wodi asase so hene.
By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
17 Medɔ wɔn a wɔdɔ me, na wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ me no hu me.
I loue them that loue me: and they that seeke me earely, shall finde me.
18 Ahonyade ne anuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahode a ɛkyɛ ne yiyedi nso saa ara.
Riches and honour are with me: euen durable riches and righteousnesse.
19 Mʼaba ye sen sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa; nea efi me mu boro dwetɛ a wɔasɔn so so.
My fruite is better then golde, euen then fine golde, and my reuenues better then fine siluer.
20 Trenee akwan so na menam, atɛntrenee akwan so,
I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes, and in the middes of the paths of iudgement,
21 mede ahode ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan amaama.
That I may cause them that loue me, to inherite substance, and I will fill their treasures.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔde mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛe anim;
The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way: I was before his workes of olde.
23 oyii me sii hɔ fi tete, ansa na wiase refi ase.
I was set vp from euerlasting, from the beginning and before the earth.
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ po kakraka no, ansa na wɔreyɛ nsuti a nsu ahyɛ no ma no,
When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔw resisi hɔ; wɔwoo me ansa na nkoko reba,
Before the mountaines were setled: and before the hilles, was I begotten.
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuw anaa dɔte biara a ɛwɔ asase so.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the open places, nor the height of the dust in the worlde.
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ ɔsoro, bere a otwaa ɔhye too ebun no ani no,
When hee prepared the heauens, I was there, when he set the compasse vpon the deepe.
28 bere a ɔbɔɔ omununkum wɔ soro na ɔde ebun mu nsuti tintim hɔ dennen no;
When he established the cloudes aboue, when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe,
29 bere a otwaa ɔhye maa po sɛnea nsu no rentra ne hye, ne bere a otwaa asase fapem no,
When he gaue his decree to the Sea, that the waters shoulde not passe his commandement: when he appointed the foundations of the earth,
30 na meyɛ odwumfo a mete ne nkyɛn. Anigye hyɛɛ me ma daa na midii ahurusi wɔ nʼanim bere biara,
Then was I with him as a nourisher, and I was dayly his delight reioycing alway before him,
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne wiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adesamma mu.
And tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth: and my delite is with the children of men.
32 “Enti me mma, muntie me; nhyira ne wɔn a wɔnantew mʼakwan so.
Therefore nowe hearken, O children, vnto me: for blessed are they that keepe my wayes.
33 Muntie mʼakwankyerɛ na munhu nyansa; mummmu mo ani ngu so.
Heare instruction, and be ye wise, and refuse it not:
34 Nhyira ne onipa a otie me, ɔwɛn mʼabobow ano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
blessed is the man that heareth mee, watching dayly at my gates, and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores.
35 Na obiara a ohu me no nya nkwa, na onya anisɔ fi Awurade nkyɛn.
For he that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obteine fauour of the Lord.
36 Na nea wanhwehwɛ me no haw ne ho na wɔn a wɔtan me no dɔ owu.”
But he that sinneth against me, hurteth his owne soule: and all that hate me, loue death.
