Mmɛbusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmɛbusɛm nie:
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 Ne botaeɛ ne sɛ ɛbɛkyerɛ nnipa nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ; ne sɛ ɛbɛboa ma wɔate nsɛm a emu dɔ ase;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 sɛ wɔbɛnya ahohyɛsoɔ na wɔabɔ ɔbra pa, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, deɛ ɛtene na ɛho nni asɛm;
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 sɛ ɛbɛma deɛ nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabunu anya nimdeɛ ne adwene.
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 Anyansafoɔ ntie na wɔmfa nka deɛ wɔnim ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu nya akwankyerɛ a
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 ɛbɛma woate mmɛ ne akasabɛbuo, anyansafoɔ nsɛnka ne aborɔme ase.
to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ ahyɛaseɛ, na nkwaseafoɔ bu nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ animtiaa.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo tiri animuonyam abotire ne wo kɔn mu ntweaban.
for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfoɔ daadaa wo a, mma wɔn ho ɛkwan.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
11 Sɛ wɔka sɛ, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛ na yɛnkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛ ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol (Sheol h7585), and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13 yɛbɛnya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahodoɔ na yɛde afodeɛ ahyɛ yɛn afie ma;
We will find all valuable wealth. We will fill our houses with plunder.
14 enti, fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wobɛnya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyadeɛ no mu” a,
You shall cast your lot among us. We will all have one purse”—
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnante, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
my son, do not walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their path,
16 Wɔn nan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔherɛ ka mogya gu.
for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.
17 Ɛho nni mfasoɔ sɛ obi bɛsum nnomaafidie wɔ ɛberɛ a nnomaa nyinaa hwɛ!
For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛ pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛ wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
but these lay in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Saa na wɔn a wɔdi korɔnodeɛ akyi no awieeɛ teɛ; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Nyansa team wɔ mmɔntene so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ adwaberem,
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 ɔteaam wɔ afasuo no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apono ano sɛ,
She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
22 “Mo adwenemherɛfoɔ, mobɛyɛ adwenemherɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Fɛdifoɔ bɛdi fɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Nkwaseafoɔ bɛkyiri nimdeɛ akɔsi da bɛn?
“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ motiee mʼaninka a, anka mekaa mʼakoma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo maa mo hunuu me nsusuiɛ.
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
24 Nanso, sɛ moyii mo aso ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho ɛberɛ a metenee me nsa mu,
Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotuo, na moampɛ mʼanimka enti,
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 me nso mɛsere mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, medi mo ho fɛw,
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you,
27 sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so te sɛ ahum, na amanehunu bi bɔ fa mo so sɛ twahoframa, na awerɛhoɔ ne ɔhaw mene mo a,
when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.
28 “Afei mobɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua mo; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso morenhunu me.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 Esiane sɛ wɔkyirii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobɛsuro Awurade.
because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.
30 Esiane sɛ w ɔpoo mʼafotuo, na wɔbuu me ntenesoɔ animtiaa enti,
They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.
31 wɔbɛdi wɔn akwan so aba na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ mu aduane bɛmee wɔn.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
32 Na ntetekwaafoɔ asoɔden bɛkum wɔn, na nkwaseafoɔ tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
33 Nanso, obiara a ɔbɛtie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
