Nnwom 17
1 Dawid Mpaebɔ. Awurade, tie me trenee abisade; tie me sufrɛ. Yɛ aso ma me mpaebɔ; nea emfi nnaadaa anofafa mu.
“A prayer of David.” Hear, O Lord, [the cause of] righteousness, attend unto my entreaty, give ear unto my prayer, coming from lips without deceit.
2 Ma me bembu mfi wo; ma wʼani nhu nea ɛyɛ pɛ.
Let from thy presence my sentence come forth; let thy eyes behold what is right.
3 Wopɛɛpɛɛ me koma mu, wohwehwɛ me mu anadwo, na wosɔ me hwɛ de, nanso wubehu sɛ minsusuw bɔne bi ɛ; mʼano nkaa bɔne bi ɛ.
Thou hast proved my heart; thou hast thought of me in the night; thou hast refined me—thou couldst find nothing: my purpose doth not pass beyond [the words of] my mouth.
4 Nnipa nneyɛe fam no, anom asɛm nti matwe me ho afi basabasayɛfo akwan ho.
Among the deeds of men did I observe, by the word of thy lips, the paths of the dissolute.
5 Menam wʼakwan so daa; me nan nhintiw ɛ.
My steps held firmly to thy tracks, [and] my footsteps did not slip.
6 Misu mefrɛ wo, Onyankopɔn na wubegye me so; yɛ aso ma me na tie me mpaebɔ.
I call on thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God: incline thy ear unto me, hear my speech.
7 Da wo dɔ nwonwaso no adi; wo a wode wo nsa nifa gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to wo so no nkwa fi wɔn atamfo nsam no.
Show marvelously thy loving-kindnesses, O thou that savest those who put their trust [in thee] from those that rise up [against them] by thy right hand.
8 Hwɛ me so sɛ obi a wodɔ no; fa me sie wo ntaban nwini no ase,
Keep me as the apple of the eye; conceal me under the shadow of thy wings,
9 fi amumɔyɛfo a wɔretaataa me no nsam, mʼatamfo a wɔatwa me ho ahyia no.
From the wicked that despoil me, my enemies, who, to take my life, compass me about.
10 Wopirim wɔn koma, na wɔkasa ahantan so.
They are enclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
11 Wɔadi me ntɛntɛ, afei wɔatwa me ho ahyia; wɔn ani abere sɛ wɔbɛbɔ me ahwe fam.
On our steps they now encompass us: they direct their eyes to turn aside in the land.
12 Wɔte sɛ gyata a hanam ho kɔm de no, te sɛ gyata kɛse bi a wabutuw wɔ ahintawee.
Every man is just like a lion that is greedy to tear his prey, and like a young lion lurking in a covert.
13 Sɔre, Awurade! Wone wɔn mfa mmɔ ani na ka wɔn hyɛ; fa wʼafoa no gye me fi amumɔyɛfo no nsam.
Arise, O Lord, prevent him, cast him down; deliver my soul from the wicked, who is thy sword, —
14 Awurade, fa wo nsa gye me fi nnipa a wɔte sɛɛ nsam; asase so nnipa a wɔn akatua wɔ nkwa yi mu no. Womma ɔkɔm nne wɔn a wʼani ku wɔn ho; wɔn mmabarima wɔ bebree, na wɔkora agyapade ma wɔn mma.
From these men—thy hand—O Lord, from the men of this world, whose portion is in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hidden treasure: they have children in plenty, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
15 Na me trenee mu, mehu wʼanim; sɛ minyan na mihu wo a me koma bɛtɔ me yam. Wɔde ma dwonkyerɛfo.
As for me, in righteousness shall I behold thy face: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with contemplating thy likeness.
