Mmɛbusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmɛbusɛm nie:
The parables of Solomon, 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;
in order to know wisdom and discipline,
3 sɛ wɔbɛnya ahohyɛsoɔ na wɔabɔ ɔbra pa, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, deɛ ɛtene na ɛho nni asɛm;
to understand words of prudence, and to accept the instruction of doctrine, justice and judgment, and equity,
4 sɛ ɛbɛma deɛ nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabunu anya nimdeɛ ne adwene.
so as to give discernment to little ones, knowledge and understanding to adolescents.
5 Anyansafoɔ ntie na wɔmfa nka deɛ wɔnim ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu nya akwankyerɛ a
By listening, the wise shall become wiser and the intelligent shall possess governments.
6 ɛbɛma woate mmɛ ne akasabɛbuo, anyansafoɔ nsɛnka ne aborɔme ase.
He shall turn his soul to a parable and to its interpretation, to the words of the wise and their enigmas.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ ahyɛaseɛ, na nkwaseafoɔ bu nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ animtiaa.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ.
Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother,
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo tiri animuonyam abotire ne wo kɔn mu ntweaban.
so that grace may be added to your head and a collar to your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfoɔ daadaa wo a, mma wɔn ho ɛkwan.
My son, if sinners should entice you, do not consent to them.
11 Sɛ wɔka sɛ, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛ na yɛnkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛ ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
If they should say: “Come with us. We will lie in wait for blood. We will lay traps against the innocent, without cause.
Let us swallow him alive, like Hell, and whole, like one descending into the pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 yɛbɛnya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahodoɔ na yɛde afodeɛ ahyɛ yɛn afie ma;
We will discover every precious substance. We will fill our houses with spoils.
14 enti, fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wobɛnya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyadeɛ no mu” a,
Cast your lot with us. One purse will be for us all.”
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnante, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, do not walk with them. Preclude your feet from their paths.
16 Wɔn nan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔherɛ ka mogya gu.
For their feet rush to evil, and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Ɛho nni mfasoɔ sɛ obi bɛsum nnomaafidie wɔ ɛberɛ a nnomaa nyinaa hwɛ!
But a net is thrown in vain before the eyes of those who have wings.
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛ pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛ wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
Likewise, they lie in ambush against their own blood, and they undertake deceits against their own souls.
19 Saa na wɔn a wɔdi korɔnodeɛ akyi no awieeɛ teɛ; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
Thus, the ways of all those who are greedy seize the souls of those who possess.
20 Nyansa team wɔ mmɔntene so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ adwaberem,
Wisdom forewarns far and wide; she bestows her voice in the streets.
21 ɔteaam wɔ afasuo no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apono ano sɛ,
She cries out at the head of crowds; at the entrance of the gates of the city, she offers her words, saying:
22 “Mo adwenemherɛfoɔ, mobɛyɛ adwenemherɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Fɛdifoɔ bɛdi fɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Nkwaseafoɔ bɛkyiri nimdeɛ akɔsi da bɛn?
“Little ones, how long will you choose to be childish, and how long will the foolish desire what is harmful to themselves, and how long will the imprudent hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ motiee mʼaninka a, anka mekaa mʼakoma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo maa mo hunuu me nsusuiɛ.
Be converted by my correction. Lo, I will offer my spirit to you, and I will reveal my words to you.
24 Nanso, sɛ moyii mo aso ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho ɛberɛ a metenee me nsa mu,
For I called, and you refused. I extended my hand, and there was no one who watched.
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotuo, na moampɛ mʼanimka enti,
You have despised all my counsels, and you have neglected my rebukes.
26 me nso mɛsere mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, medi mo ho fɛw,
Similarly, I will ridicule you at your demise, and I will mock you, when that which you feared shall overcome 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 sudden calamity rushes upon you, and your demise advances like a tempest, when tribulation and anguish overcome you,
28 “Afei mobɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua mo; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso morenhunu me.
then they will call to me, and I will not heed, they will arise in the morning, and not find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wɔkyirii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobɛsuro Awurade.
For they held hatred for discipline, and they would not accept the fear of the Lord;
30 Esiane sɛ w ɔpoo mʼafotuo, na wɔbuu me ntenesoɔ animtiaa enti,
they would not consent to my counsel, but they detracted from all of my corrections.
31 wɔbɛdi wɔn akwan so aba na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ mu aduane bɛmee wɔn.
Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their way, and they shall have their fill of their own counsels.
32 Na ntetekwaafoɔ asoɔden bɛkum wɔn, na nkwaseafoɔ tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
The loathing of the little ones shall destroy them, and the prosperity of the foolish shall perish them.
33 Nanso, obiara a ɔbɛtie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But whoever will listen to me shall rest without terror, and shall have full enjoyment of abundance, without fear of evils.”
