Mmebusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmebusɛm ni:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 Ne botae ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛso; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ama wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 sɛ wobenya akwankyerɛ wɔ abrabɔ pa mu, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, nea ɛteɛ na ho nni asɛm;
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 sɛ ɛbɛma nea nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabun anya nimdeɛ ne adwene,
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 anyansafo ntie na wɔmfa nka nea wonim ho, na nea ɔwɔ nhumu nya akwankyerɛ a
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 ɛbɛma wate mmɛ ne kasammebu, anyansafo nsɛnka ne abisaa ase.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ mfiase, na nkwaseafo bu nyansa ne ahohyɛso animtiaa.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge— fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo ti anuonyam abotiri ne wo kɔn mu atweaban.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfo twetwe wo a, mma wɔn ho kwan.
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow them.
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 hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
Let us swallow them up alive, like Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 yebenya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahorow na yɛde asade ahyɛ yɛn afi ma;
We shall find all kinds of valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wubenya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyade no mu.”
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnantew, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 Wɔn anan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔhare ka mogya gu.
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 So nni mfaso sɛ obi besum nnomaafiri wɔ beae a anomaa biara hu!
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛw pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛw wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Saa na wɔn a wodi akorɔnne akyi no awiei te; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
So are the ways of everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 Nyansa teɛ mu wɔ mmɔnten so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ aguabɔbea,
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
21 ɔteɛ mu wɔ afasu no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apon ano se,
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
22 “Mo adwenharefo, mobɛyɛ adwenhare akosi da bɛn? Fɛwdifo bedi fɛw akosi da bɛn? Nkwaseafo bekyi nimdeɛ akosi da bɛn?
“How long, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ mutiee mʼanimka a, anka mekaa me koma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo ma muhuu me nsusuwii.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make 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,
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotu, na moampɛ mʼanimka nti,
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to 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 laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
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 fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Afei wɔbɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua; wɔbɛhwehwɛ me, nanso wɔrenhu me.
Then they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wokyii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobesuro Awurade,
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 sɛ wɔpoo mʼafotu, na wobuu me nteɛso animtiaa nti,
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 wobedi wɔn akwan so aba; na wɔn nhyehyɛe mu aduan bɛmee wɔn.
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
32 Na ntetekwaafo asoɔden bekum wɔn, na nkwaseafo tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For the naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference 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 live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
