Mmebusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
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;
They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
11 Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
Let's bury them alive; let's put them in the grave while they're still healthy! (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
“How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
24 Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
26 me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
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 panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on you,
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
then you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
33 Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
