Mmɛbusɛm 13
1 Ɔba nyansafoɔ tie nʼagya nkyerɛkyerɛ; na ɔfɛdifoɔ ntie animka.
A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction; but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
2 Nneɛma pa a ɛfiri onipa anom no ma no anigyeɛ, na wɔn a wɔnni nokorɛ no kɔn dɔ basabasayɛ.
A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; but the soul of the treacherous, violence.
3 Deɛ ɔkora nʼano no kora ne nkwa so, nanso deɛ ɔkasa a ɔnsusu ho no bɛba ɔsɛeɛ mu.
He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his soul; destruction shall be to him that openeth wide his lips.
4 Onihafoɔ pere hwehwɛ nanso ɔnnya hwee, na deɛ ɔyɛ adwuma no nya deɛ ɔpɛ biara.
A sluggard's soul desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
5 Teneneefoɔ kyiri deɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ, nanso amumuyɛfoɔ de aniwuo ne ahohora ba.
A righteous [man] hateth lying; but the wicked maketh himself odious and cometh to shame.
6 Tenenee bɔ ɔnokwafoɔ ho ban, na amumuyɛsɛm tu ɔbɔnefoɔ gu.
Righteousness preserveth him that is perfect in the way; but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
7 Obi yɛ ne ho sɛ ɔdefoɔ, a nso ɔnni hwee, ɔfoforɔ yɛ ne ho sɛ ohiani, a nso ɔwɔ ahonya bebree.
There is that feigneth himself rich, and hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, and hath great wealth.
8 Obi ahonya bɛtumi agye no nkwa, nanso ohiani nte ahunahuna biara.
The ransom of a man's life is his riches; but the indigent heareth not rebuke.
9 Teneneefoɔ kanea hyerɛn pa ara, nanso wɔdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
The light of the righteous rejoiceth; but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
10 Ahantan de ntɔkwa nko ara na ɛba, na wɔhunu nyansa wɔ wɔn a wɔtie afutuo mu.
By pride there only cometh contention; but with the well-advised is wisdom.
11 Ahonya a ɛnam kwammɔne soɔ no hwere ntɛm so, na deɛ ɔboa sika ano nkakrankakra no ma ɛdɔɔso.
Wealth [gotten] by vanity diminisheth; but he that gathereth by manual-labour shall increase [it].
12 Anidasoɔ a wɔtu hyɛ da no bɔ akoma yadeɛ, nanso anigyinadeɛ a nsa aka no yɛ nkwa dua.
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but the desire [that] cometh to pass is a tree of life.
13 Deɛ ɔtwiri ahyɛdeɛ no bɛtua so ka, nanso deɛ ɔde obuo ma mmara no, wɔma no akatua.
Whoso despiseth the word shall be held by it; but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14 Onyansafoɔ nkyerɛkyerɛ te sɛ nkwa asutire, ɛyi onipa firi owuo afidie mu.
The teaching of the wise [man] is a fountain of life, to turn away from the snares of death.
15 Nhunumu pa de adom ba, nanso atorofoɔ ɛkwan so yɛ den.
Good understanding procureth favour; but the way of the treacherous is hard.
16 Ɔbadwemma biara yɛ nʼadeɛ wɔ nimdeɛ mu, nanso ɔkwasea da nʼagyimisɛm adi.
Every prudent [man] acteth with knowledge; but the foolish layeth open [his] folly.
17 Ɔsomafoɔ mumuyɛfoɔ tɔ amaneɛ mu, nanso ɔnanmusini nokwafoɔ de abodwoɔ ba.
A wicked messenger falleth into evil; but a faithful ambassador is health.
18 Deɛ ɔpo ntenesoɔ no kɔ ohia ne animguaseɛ mu, na deɛ ɔtie ntenesoɔ no, wɔhyɛ no animuonyam.
Poverty and shame shall be [to] him that refuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
19 Akɔnnɔdeɛ a nsa aka ma ɔkra ani gye, nanso nkwaseafoɔ kyiri sɛ wɔtwe wɔn ho firi bɔne ho.
The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul; but it is abomination to the foolish to depart from evil.
20 Deɛ ɔne onyansafoɔ nante no hunu nyansa, na deɛ ɔne nkwaseafoɔ bɔ no hunu amane.
He that walketh with wise [men] becometh wise; but a companion of the foolish will be depraved.
21 Ɔhaw di ɔbɔnefoɔ akyi, na nkɔsoɔ yɛ teneneeni akatua.
Evil pursueth sinners; but to the righteous good shall be repaid.
22 Onipa pa de agyapadeɛ gya ne nananom, na wɔkora ɔbɔnefoɔ ahonyadeɛ so ma ɔteneneeni.
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; but the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous [man].
23 Ohiani afuom nnɔbaeɛ tumi ba pii, nanso ntɛnkyea pra kɔ.
Much food is in the tillage of the poor; but there is that is lost for want of judgment.
24 Deɛ ɔkyɛe nʼabaa so no tane ne ba, na deɛ ɔdɔ no no hwɛ sɛ ɔbɛtene no.
He that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
25 Teneneefoɔ didi ma wɔn akoma mee nanso, ɛkɔm de amumuyɛfoɔ.
The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul; but the belly of the wicked shall want.
