Mmɛbusɛm 16
1 Akoma mu nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ onipa dea, na tɛkrɛma mmuaeɛ firi Awurade.
It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
2 Ɛyɛ onipa sɛ nʼakwan nyinaa yɛ kronn nanso Awurade na ɔpɛɛpɛɛ adwene mu.
All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
3 Fa deɛ woyɛ nyinaa hyɛ Awurade nsam, na wo nhyehyɛeɛ bɛsi yie.
Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
4 Awurade yɛ biribiara ma nʼankasa botaeɛ, mpo, ɔhwɛ omumuyɛfoɔ kɔsi amanehunu da.
The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
5 Awurade kyiri akoma mu ahantanfoɔ nyinaa. Nya saa nteaseɛ yi sɛ, wɔremfa wɔn ho nni.
All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
6 Wɔnam ɔdɔ ne nokorɛ so pata bɔne; onipa nam Awurade suro so yi bɔne akwa.
By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
7 Sɛ onipa akwan sɔ Awurade ani a, ɔma nʼatamfoɔ mpo ne no tena asomdwoeɛ mu.
When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8 Kakraa bi a wɔnam tenenee kwan so nya no yɛ sene mfasoɔ pii a wɔnam ntɛnkyea so nya.
Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
9 Onipa yɛ ne nhyehyɛeɛ wɔ nʼakoma mu, nanso Awurade na ɔhwɛ nʼanammɔntuo.
The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
10 Ɔhene anomu kasa te sɛ nkɔmhyɛ, enti ɛnsɛ sɛ nʼano ka deɛ ɛnyɛ atɛntenenee.
Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
11 Nsania ne abrammoɔ a nsisie nni mu firi Awurade; nkariboɔ a ɛwɔ kotokuo mu no, ɔno na ɔyɛeɛ.
Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
12 Ahemfo kyiri bɔneyɛ, ɛfiri sɛ ahennwa si tenenee so.
Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
13 Ahemfo ani sɔ ano a ɛka nokorɛ; na wɔbu onipa a ɔka nokorɛ.
Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
14 Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ yɛ owuo somafoɔ, nanso onyansafoɔ bɛdwodwo ano.
The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
15 Sɛ ɔhene anim te a, ɛyɛ nkwa, nʼadom te sɛ osutɔberɛ mu osumuna.
In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
16 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛnya nyansa sene sɛ wobɛnya sikakɔkɔɔ, sɛ wobɛnya nhunumu sene sɛ wobɛnya dwetɛ!
Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17 Ɔteneneeni kwantempɔn kwati bɔne; deɛ ɔhwɛ nʼakwan yie no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
18 Ahantan di ɔsɛeɛ anim, na ahomasoɔ honhom nso di ahweaseɛ anim.
Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
19 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛyɛ honhom mu hiani wɔ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so mu sene sɛ wo ne ahantanfoɔ bɛkyɛ afodeɛ.
It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
20 Deɛ ɔyɛ ɔsetie ma nkyerɛkyerɛ no nya nkɔsoɔ; nhyira nka deɛ ɔde ne ho to Awurade so.
The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
21 Wɔfrɛ akoma mu anyansafoɔ sɛ nhunumufoɔ, na kasa pa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
22 Nteaseɛ yɛ nkwa nsutire ma wɔn a wɔwɔ bi, nanso agyimisɛm de asotweɛ brɛ nkwaseafoɔ.
Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
23 Onyansafoɔ akoma kyerɛ nʼano kwan, na nʼanofafa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
24 Abodwosɛm te sɛ ɛwokyɛm ɛyɛ ɔkra dɛ, na ɛsa nnompe yadeɛ.
Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
25 Ɛkwan bi wɔ hɔ a ɛyɛ wɔ onipa ani so, nanso ɛkɔwie owuo mu.
There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
26 Odwumayɛfoɔ akɔnnɔ ma no yɛ adwuma den; ɛfiri sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkum ne kɔm.
The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
27 Ohuhuni bɔ pɔ bɔne, ne kasa te sɛ egyadɛreɛ a ɛhye adeɛ.
The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28 Onipa kɔntɔnkye de mpaapaemu ba, na osekuni tete nnamfonom ntam.
A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
29 Basabasayɛni daadaa ne yɔnko na ɔde no fa ɛkwammɔne so.
A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
30 Deɛ ɔbu nʼani no redwene bɔneyɛ ho; na deɛ ɔmua nʼano no ani wɔ bɔne so.
Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
31 Ɛdwono yɛ animuonyam abotire; tenenee mu asetena na ɛde ba.
Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
32 Deɛ ɔwɔ abodwokyerɛ no yɛ sene ɔkofoɔ, na deɛ ɔmfa abufuo yɛ sene deɛ ɔko fa kuropɔn.
A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
33 Wɔtwe ntonto de hwehwɛ deɛ Awurade pɛ, nanso ne gyinasie biara firi Awurade.
Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.
