Mmɛbusɛm 1
1 Dawid babarima Salomo, Israelhene, mmɛbusɛm nie:
The proverbs 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;
They are for achieving wisdom and instruction, and to recognize sayings that bring insight.
3 sɛ wɔbɛnya ahohyɛsoɔ na wɔabɔ ɔbra pa, a ɛbɛma wɔayɛ ade pa, deɛ ɛtene na ɛho nni asɛm;
They provide education in what makes sense, living right, judging correctly, and acting fairly.
4 sɛ ɛbɛma deɛ nʼadwene mu nnɔ anya nyansa na mmabunu anya nimdeɛ ne adwene.
They give discernment to the immature, knowledge and discretion to the young.
5 Anyansafoɔ ntie na wɔmfa nka deɛ wɔnim ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu nya akwankyerɛ a
Wise people will listen and gain in learning, and those who have good judgment will gain skills in guidance,
6 ɛbɛma woate mmɛ ne akasabɛbuo, anyansafoɔ nsɛnka ne aborɔme ase.
understanding the proverbs and puzzles, the sayings and questions of the wise.
7 Awurade suro yɛ nimdeɛ ahyɛaseɛ, na nkwaseafoɔ bu nyansa ne ahohyɛsoɔ animtiaa.
Honoring the Lord is where true knowledge begins, but fools treat wisdom and good advice with contempt.
8 Me ba, tie wʼagya akwankyerɛ na mpo wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
9 Ɛbɛyɛ wo tiri animuonyam abotire ne wo kɔn mu ntweaban.
They are a wreath of grace to decorate your head; they are pendants for your neck.
10 Me ba, sɛ nnebɔneyɛfoɔ daadaa wo a, mma wɔn ho ɛkwan.
My son, if evil people try to tempt you, don't give into them.
11 Sɛ wɔka sɛ, “Bra ma yɛnkɔ; ma yɛnkɔtetɛ na yɛnkum obi, ma yɛnkɔtɛ ntwɛn mmɔborɔni bi;
They may tell you, “Come with us. Let's go and hide, ready to kill someone. Let's ambush someone for fun!
Let's bury them alive; let's put them in the grave while they're still healthy! (Sheol h7585)
13 yɛbɛnya nneɛma a ɛsom bo ahodoɔ na yɛde afodeɛ ahyɛ yɛn afie ma;
We'll take from them all kinds of valuable things and fill our homes with the stuff we steal!
14 enti, fa wo ho bɛhyɛ mu, na wobɛnya wo kyɛfa wɔ ahonyadeɛ no mu” a,
Come and join us and we'll all share what we get!”
15 Me ba, wo ne wɔn nnante, mfa wo nan nsi wɔn akwan so;
My son, don't follow their ways. Don't go in that direction with them.
16 Wɔn nan de ntɛmpɛ kɔ bɔne mu, na wɔde ahoɔherɛ ka mogya gu.
For they rush to do evil; they hurry to commit violence and murder.
17 Ɛho nni mfasoɔ sɛ obi bɛsum nnomaafidie wɔ ɛberɛ a nnomaa nyinaa hwɛ!
There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.
18 Saa nnipa yi tetɛ pɛ wɔn ankasa mogya; wɔtetɛ wɔn ankasa wɔn ho!
However, these evil people hide ready to kill others, but they themselves are the victims. They're only ambushing themselves!
19 Saa na wɔn a wɔdi korɔnodeɛ akyi no awieeɛ teɛ; ɛma wɔhwere wɔn nkwa!
This is what happens to you if you try to become rich through crime—it kills you!
20 Nyansa team wɔ mmɔntene so, ɔma ne nne so wɔ adwaberem,
Wisdom calls out in the streets; she shouts aloud in the squares.
21 ɔteaam wɔ afasuo no atifi, ɔkasa wɔ kuropɔn no apono ano sɛ,
She cries out at busy corners; she explains her message at the town gates:
22 “Mo adwenemherɛfoɔ, mobɛyɛ adwenemherɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Fɛdifoɔ bɛdi fɛ akɔsi da bɛn? Nkwaseafoɔ bɛkyiri nimdeɛ akɔsi da bɛn?
“How long will you stupid people love stupidity? How long will scornful people enjoy their mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?
23 Sɛ motiee mʼaninka a, anka mekaa mʼakoma mu nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛɛ mo maa mo hunuu me nsusuiɛ.
Pay attention to my warnings, and I'll pour out my deepest thoughts to you—I'll explain what I know to you.
24 Nanso, sɛ moyii mo aso ɛberɛ a mefrɛɛ mo na amfa obiara ho ɛberɛ a metenee me nsa mu,
For I have called you, but you refused to listen; I reached out my hand to you, but you didn't care.
25 sɛ mopoo mʼafotuo, na moampɛ mʼanimka enti,
You ignored everything I said; you wouldn't accept any of my warnings.
26 me nso mɛsere mo wɔ mo amanehunu mu; sɛ abɛbrɛsɛ bi bu fa mo so a, medi mo ho fɛw,
So I'll laugh at you when you're in trouble; I'll mock you when you're in a panic.
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 panic rains down on you like a storm, when trouble hits you like a whirlwind, when sorrow and pain come on you,
28 “Afei mobɛfrɛ me, nanso meremmua mo; mobɛhwehwɛ me, nanso morenhunu me.
then you'll call out to me for help, but I won't answer; you'll search hard for me, but won't find me.
29 Esiane sɛ wɔkyirii nimdeɛ na wɔampɛ sɛ wobɛsuro Awurade.
Why?—because they hated knowledge, and they didn't choose to respect the Lord.
30 Esiane sɛ w ɔpoo mʼafotuo, na wɔbuu me ntenesoɔ animtiaa enti,
They're not willing to accept my advice; they despise all my warnings.
31 wɔbɛdi wɔn akwan so aba na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ mu aduane bɛmee wɔn.
So they'll have to eat the fruit of their own choices, bloated by their own devious schemes.
32 Na ntetekwaafoɔ asoɔden bɛkum wɔn, na nkwaseafoɔ tirimudɛ bɛsɛe wɔn;
Stupid people are killed by their rebellion; foolish people are destroyed by their lack of concern.
33 Nanso, obiara a ɔbɛtie me no, ɔbɛtena ase asomdwoeɛ mu na ne ho bɛtɔ no a ɔrensuro ɔhaw biara.”
But everyone who listens to me will be kept safe, and will live without worrying about problems.”
