Mmebusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
24 Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ mfɛtɛ, na awerɛhow ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
