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;
For the knowledge of wisdom and correction, for discerning the sayings of intelligence;
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
For receiving the correction of prudence, righteousness and justice, and equity;
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
For giving To the simple shrewdness, To the young man, knowledge and discretion.
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
A wise man, will hear, and will increase learning, and a, discreet man, wise counsels, will acquire,
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
By gaining discernment of proverb, and satire, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
The reverence of Yahweh, is the beginning of knowledge, Wisdom and correction, the foolish have despised.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
Hear, my son, the correction of thy father, and do not reject the instruction of thy mother;
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
For, a wreath of beauty, shall they be to thy head, and chains of ornament, to thy neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My son, if sinners entice thee, do not consent.
11 Sɛ wɔka se, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛw na yenkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛw ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they say—Come with us, —Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us watch in secret for him who is needlessly innocent;
Let us engulf them, like hades, alive, While in health, like them who are going down to the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
All costly substance, shall we find, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Thy lot, shalt thou cast into our midst, One purse, shall there be, for us all.
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, do not walk in the way with them, Withhold thy foot from their path.
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
For, their feet, to mischief, do run, and haste to the shedding of blood.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
Surely, in vain, is spread the net, in the sight of aught that hath wings!
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
Yet, they, for their own blood, lie in wait, They watch in secret for their own life.
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
Such are the ways of every one that graspeth with greed, The life of the owners thereof, it taketh away!
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdom, in the open place, soundeth forth, in the broadways, she raiseth her voice;
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
At the head of bustling streets, she crieth aloud, —at the openings of the gates in the city—her sayings, she doth utter: —
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and, scoffers, in scoffing, delight them? and, dullards, hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
Will ye turn, at my reproof? Lo! I will pour out to you my spirit, I will make known my words to you.
24 Nanso sɛ muyii mo aso, bere a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho, bere a meteɛɛ me nsa mu,
Because I called, and ye refused, I stretched out my hand, and no one regarded;
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
But ye dismissed all my counsel, and, to my rebuke, would not yield,
26 me nso mɛserew mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, midi mo ho fɛw,
I also, at your calamity, will laugh, I will mock, when cometh your dread;
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 cometh as a crashing your dread, and, your calamity, as a storm-wind, overtaketh, when there come upon you, distress and anguish.
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
Then, will they call me, but I will not answer, they will seek me diligently, but shall not find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
Because they hated knowledge, and, the reverence of Yahweh, did not choose;
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
Consented not to my counsel, disdained all my rebuke,
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and, with their own counsels, be filled.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For, the turning away of the simple, will slay them, —and, the carelessness of dullards, will destroy them.
33 Nanso obiara a obetie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoe mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
Whereas, he that hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and be at rest, without dread of misfortune.
