Ɔsɛnkafoɔ 10
1 Sɛdeɛ nwansena funu ma aduhwam yi nka bɔne no, saa ara na nkwaseasɛm kakra boro nimdeɛ ne animuonyam so.
Dead flies cause a perfumer's perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom — By reason of honour — a little folly!
2 Onyansafoɔ akoma kom kɔ nifa, nanso ɔkwasea akoma kɔ benkum.
The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
3 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea nam ɛkwan so a wɔhunu sɛ ɔnnim nyansa na ɔma obiara hunu sɛ wagyimi.
And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he hath said to every one, 'He [is] a fool.'
4 Sɛ sodifoɔ bo fu wo a, nnya wʼadwuma nto hɔ; na ntoboaseɛ dwodwo mfomsoɔ kɛseɛ ano.
If the spirit of the ruler go up against thee, Thy place leave not, For yielding quieteth great sinners.
5 Bɔne bi wɔ hɔ a mahunu wɔ owia yi ase. Ɛyɛ mfomsoɔ bi a ɛfiri sodifoɔ:
There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error that goeth out from the ruler,
6 Wɔma nkwaseafoɔ diberɛ a ɛkorɔn, na asikafoɔ nya deɛ ɛwɔ fam.
He hath set the fool in many high places, And the rich in a low place do sit.
7 Mahunu nkoa sɛ wɔtete apɔnkɔ so, na mmapɔmma nam fam sɛ nkoa.
I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Obiara a ɔtu amena no bɛtumi atɔ mu; na deɛ ɔbubu ɔfasuo no, ɔwɔ bɛtumi aka no.
Whoso is digging a pit falleth into it, And whoso is breaking a hedge, a serpent biteth him.
9 Obiara a ɔpae aboɔ no, aboɔ no bɛtumi apira no; na deɛ ɔpae nnua no bɛtumi anya mu akwanhyia.
Whoso is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoso is cleaving trees endangered by them.
10 Sɛ abonnua ano akum na wɔanse ano a, ɛbɛhia ahoɔden bebree nanso adwumayɛ ho nimdeɛ de nkonimdie bɛba.
If the iron hath been blunt, And he the face hath not sharpened, Then doth he increase strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
11 Sɛ ɔwɔ ka obi ansa na wɔadwodwo no a deɛ ɔdwodwo ɔwɔ no rennya ho mfasoɔ biara.
If the serpent biteth without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
12 Onyansafoɔ anom nsɛm yɛ nyam, nanso ɔkwasea ano fafa de no kɔ asɛeɛ mu.
Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
13 Ahyɛaseɛ no, ne nsɛm yɛ nkwaseasɛm; na ɛkɔwie abɔdamsɛm bɔne,
The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
14 na ɔkwasea woro nsɛm. Obiara nnim deɛ ɛreba, hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka deɛ ɛbɛsi nʼakyi akyerɛ no?
And the fool multiplieth words: 'Man knoweth not that which is, And that which is after him, who doth declare to him?'
15 Ɔkwasea adwumayɛ ma ɔbrɛ; na ɛmma ɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɛkɔ kurom.
The labour of the foolish wearieth him, In that he hath not known to go unto the city.
16 Nnome nka wo, asase a na wo ɔhene yɛ akwa na wo mmapɔmma to ɛpono anɔpa.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king [is] a youth, And thy princes do eat in the morning.
17 Nhyira nka wo, asase a wo ɔhene yɛ ɔdehyeɛ na wo mmapɔmma didi ɛberɛ a ɛfata de pɛ ahoɔden, na ɛnyɛ nsãborɔ.
Happy art thou, O land, When thy king [is] a son of freemen, And thy princes do eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
18 Sɛ obi yɛ akwadworɔ a, ne mpunan yɛ mmerɛ; sɛ ne nsa nka hwee a, ne fie nwunu.
By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands doth the house drop.
19 Wɔto ɛpono ma sereɛ, na nsã ma onipa ahosɛpɛ, nanso sika na ɛyɛ biribiara safoa.
For mirth they are making a feast, And wine maketh life joyful, And the silver answereth with all.
20 Wʼadwene mu mpo, nkasa ntia ɔhene, na wowɔ piam nso a, nnome osikani, ɛfiri sɛ anomaa a ɔnam ewiem de wʼasɛm bɛkɔ, na anomaa a otuo bɛkɔ akɔka.
Even in thy mind a king revile not, And in the inner parts of thy bed-chamber Revile not the rich: For a fowl of the heavens causeth the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declareth the word.
