Mmɛbusɛm 11
1 Awurade kyiri asisie nsania, na nʼani gye nokorɛ nkariboɔ ho.
The Lord hates dishonest scales, but accurate weights please him.
2 Ahantan ba a, animguaseɛ na ɛdi soɔ nanso ahobrɛaseɛ de nyansa ba.
With pride comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
3 Teefoɔ nokorɛdie kyerɛ wɔn ɛkwan; nanso nkontompofoɔ ano ntanta sɛe wɔn.
Honesty guides the good, but deceit destroys liars.
4 Ahonya nnka hwee abufuhyeɛ da no, nanso tenenee gye nkwa firi owuo mu.
Wealth won't help you on judgment day, but goodness saves you from death.
5 Wɔn a wɔnnyɛ bɔne teneneeyɛ bɔ ɛkwan tee ma wɔn, nanso amumuyɛfoɔ amumuyɛsɛm brɛ wɔn ase.
The goodness of the innocent keeps them on track, but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.
6 Pɛyɛfoɔ teneneeyɛ gye wɔn, nanso akɔnnɔ bɔne afidie yi nkontompofoɔ.
The goodness of those who live right will save them, but the dishonest are trapped by their own desires.
7 Sɛ omumuyɛfoɔ wu a, nʼanidasoɔ yera; deɛ ɔsusuu sɛ ɔbɛnya afiri ne tumi mu nyinaa no yɛ kwa.
When a wicked person dies, their hopes die with them; what the godless look forward to is gone.
8 Wɔgye ɔteneneeni firi amaneɛ mu, na ɛba omumuyɛfoɔ so mmom.
The good are saved from trouble, while the wicked get into trouble.
9 Deɛ ɔnsuro Onyame de nʼano sɛe ne yɔnko, nanso ɔteneneeni nam nimdeɛ so firi mu.
Godless people mouth off and destroy their neighbors, but the good are saved by wisdom.
10 Sɛ teneneefoɔ di yie a, kuropɔn no di ahurisie; nanso amumuyɛfoɔ wu a, wɔbɔ ose.
The whole town celebrates when good people are successful; they also shout for joy when the wicked die.
11 Pɛyɛfoɔ nhyira ma kuropɔn no kɔ so, nanso amumuyɛfoɔ ano bɔ no.
Ethical people are a blessing to a town, but what the wicked say destroys it.
12 Onipa a ɔnni adwene no bu ne yɔnko animtiaa, nanso deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu no to ne tɛkrɛma nnareka.
People who run down their neighbors have no sense; someone who's sensible keeps quiet.
13 Osekuni da kɔkoamsɛm adi, nanso deɛ yɛnya ne mu ahotosoɔ no kora kasasie so.
A gossip goes around telling secrets, but trustworthy people keep confidences.
14 Ɔman a ɛnni akwankyerɛ no bɔ, nanso afotufoɔ dodoɔ ma nkonimdie ba.
A nation falls without good guidance, but they are saved through much wise counsel.
15 Deɛ ɔdi agyinamu ma ɔfoforɔ no bɛhunu amane, na deɛ ɔmmfa ne nsa nhyɛ awowasie ase no aso mu dwo no.
You'll get into trouble if you guarantee a stranger's loans—you're far safer if you refuse to make such pledges.
16 Ɔbaa a ne yam yɛ no wɔde obuo ma no, nanso mmarima basabasayɛfoɔ nya ahodeɛ nko ara.
A gracious woman holds on to her honor just as ruthless men hold on to their wealth.
17 Ɔyamyɛfoɔ yɛ ma ne ho, na otirimuɔdenfoɔ de ɔhaw ba nʼankasa so.
If you're kind, you'll be rewarded; but if you're cruel, you'll hurt yourself.
18 Omumuyɛfoɔ nya akatua a ɛnnyina, nanso deɛ ɔgu tenenee aba no twa akatua a ɛdi mu.
The wicked earn wages that cheat them, but those who sow goodness reap a genuine reward.
19 Deɛ ɔyɛ nokorɛ teneneeni no nya nkwa, nanso deɛ ɔkɔ so yɛ bɔne no kɔ owuo mu.
Do what's right, and you will live; chase after evil and you will die.
20 Awurade kyiri nnipa a wɔn akoma akyinsa, na nʼani gye wɔn a wɔn akwan ho nni asɛm ho.
The Lord hates perverted minds, but is happy with those who live moral lives.
21 Gye to mu sɛ, amumuyɛfoɔ bɛnya wɔn akatua, na teneneefoɔ bɛnya wɔn tiri adi mu.
You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished, but the good will be saved.
22 Ɔbaa hoɔfɛfoɔ a ɔntumi nsi gyinaeɛ no te sɛ sika kawa a ɛhyɛ prako hwene mu.
A beautiful woman who lacks good judgment is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
23 Teneneefoɔ apɛdeɛ wie yie, nanso amumuyɛfoɔ anidasoɔ wie abufuhyeɛ.
Good people want what's best, but what the wicked hope for ends in death.
24 Obi yɛ adɔeɛ, na ɔnya ne ho bebree; obi nso yɛ adɔna, nanso ɛhia no.
If you give generously you receive more, but if you keep back what you should give, you end up poor.
25 Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛkɔ so anya ne ho; na deɛ ɔma ebinom mee no nso bɛmee.
If you're generous, you'll become rich; give someone a drink of water, and you'll be given one in return.
26 Nnipa dome deɛ ɔde atokoɔ sie, na nhyira ba deɛ ɔtɔn ne deɛ so.
People curse those who hoard grain; but they bless those who sell.
27 Deɛ ɔhwehwɛ papa akyiri ɛkwan no nya anisɔ, na deɛ ɔhwehwɛ bɔne no, bɔne ba ne so.
If you look to do good, you'll be appreciated; but if you look for evil, you'll find it!
28 Deɛ ɔde ne ho to nʼahonyadeɛ soɔ no bɛhwe ase, na ɔteneneeni bɛyɛ frɔmm sɛ ahahan mono.
If you trust in your riches, you'll fall; but if you do good, you'll flourish like green leaves.
29 Deɛ ɔde ɔhaw bɛto nʼabusua so no bɛdi mframa adeɛ, na ɔkwasea bɛyɛ onyansafoɔ ɔsomfoɔ.
If you cause trouble in your family, you'll inherit nothing but air. Stupid people end up as servants to those who think wisely.
30 Ɔteneneeni aba yɛ nkwa dua, na deɛ ɔgye akra no yɛ onyansafoɔ.
The fruit of the good is a tree of life, and the wise person saves people.
31 Sɛ teneneefoɔ nya wɔn akatua wɔ asase so a ɛnneɛ na wɔn a wɔnnim Onyame ne abɔnefoɔ nso ɛ!
If the good are repaid here on earth, how much more will the wicked who sin be repaid!
