Mmebusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
The Parables of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel,
2 Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
To knowe wisdome, and instruction, to vnderstand ye wordes of knowledge,
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
To receiue instruction to do wisely, by iustice and iudgement and equitie,
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
To giue vnto the simple, sharpenesse of wit, and to the childe knowledge and discretion.
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
A wise man shall heare and increase in learning, and a man of vnderstanding shall attayne vnto wise counsels,
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
To vnderstand a parable, and the interpretation, the wordes of ye wise, and their darke sayings.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
The feare of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fooles despise wisedome and instruction.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My sonne, heare thy fathers instruction, and forsake not thy mothers teaching.
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
For they shalbe a comely ornament vnto thine head, and as chaines for thy necke.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My sonne, if sinners doe intise thee, consent thou not.
11 Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they say, Come with vs, we will lay waite for blood, and lie priuilie for the innocent without a cause:
We wil swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole, as those that goe downe into the pit: (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
We shall finde all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoyle:
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Cast in thy lot among vs: we will all haue one purse:
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My sonne, walke not thou in the way with them: refraine thy foote from their path.
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
For their feete runne to euill, and make haste to shed blood.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
Certainely as without cause the net is spred before the eyes of all that hath wing:
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
So they lay waite for blood and lie priuily for their liues.
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
Such are the wayes of euery one that is greedy of gaine: he would take away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdome cryeth without: she vttereth her voyce in the streetes.
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
She calleth in the hye streete, among the prease in the entrings of the gates, and vttereth her wordes in the citie, saying,
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
O ye foolish, howe long will ye loue foolishnes? and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning, and the fooles hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
(Turne you at my correction: loe, I will powre out my mind vnto you, and make you vnderstand my wordes)
24 Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
Because I haue called, and ye refused: I haue stretched out mine hand, and none woulde regarde.
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
But ye haue despised all my counsell, and would 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,
I will also laugh at your destruction, and mocke, when your feare commeth.
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,
Whe your feare cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirle wind: whe affliction and anguish shall come vpon you,
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
Then shall they call vpon me, but I will not answere: they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde me,
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
Because they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord.
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
They would none of my counsell, but despised all my correction.
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
Therefore shall they eate of ye fruite of their owne way, and be filled with their owne deuises.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For ease slaieth the foolish, and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them.
33 Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But he that obeyeth me, shall dwell safely, and be quiet from feare of euill.
