Mmɛbusɛm 17
1 Aduane mmɔwe a asomdwoeɛ wɔ ho yɛ sene efie a apontoɔ ahyɛ no ma a nso basabasayɛ wɔ mu.
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 Ɔsomfoɔ nyansafoɔ bɛdi ɔba nimguasefoɔ so, na ɔbɛnya ne kyɛfa wɔ agyapadeɛ no mu sɛ anuanom no mu baako.
A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brothers.
3 Kyɛmferɛ wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ nanso Awurade na ɔsɔ akoma hwɛ.
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.
4 Omumuyɛfoɔ tie nsusuiɛ bɔne; ɔtorofoɔ yɛ aso ma adwen bɔne tɛkrɛma.
A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.
5 Deɛ ɔdi ahiafoɔ ho fɛ no bu wɔn Yɛfoɔ animtiaa; na deɛ ɔfoa amanehunu soɔ no bɛnya asotwe.
Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
6 Mmanananom yɛ mmasiriwa animuonyam, na awofoɔ yɛ wɔn mma ahohoahoa.
Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 Anokrokro nyɛ mma ɔkwasea, saa ara na ano a ɛdi torɔ mfata ɔhene.
Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 Kɛtɛasehyɛ daadaa deɛ ɔma; ɔgye sɛ ɛbɛma no nkonim.
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: wherever it turns, it prospers.
9 Deɛ ɔbu nʼani gu mfomsoɔ so no ma ɔdɔ ɛkwan, na deɛ ɔbɔ soɔ no tete nnamfonom ntam.
He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.
10 Nkaanim sɔ onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu ani sene mmaa ɔha a wɔbɔ ɔkwasea.
A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 Onipa bɔnefoɔ ani wɔ atuateɛ nko ara so na wɔbɛsoma odwumayɛfoɔ tirimuɔdenfoɔ akɔ ne so.
An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛhyia sisire a wɔawia ne mma sene ɔkwasea a ɔregyimie.
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 Sɛ obi de bɔne tua papa so ka a, bɔne rempa ne fie da.
Whoever rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 Ntɔkwa ahyɛaseɛ te sɛ deɛ wɔretue suka; enti gyae ma ɛnka na ankɔfa ɔham amma.
The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 Sɛ wɔbɛgyaa deɛ ɔdi fɔ ne sɛ wɔbɛbu deɛ ɔdi bem kumfɔ no, Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
16 Sika a ɛwɔ ɔkwasea nsam ho nni mfasoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɔnni botaeɛ biara sɛ ɔbɛhunu nyansa.
Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he has no heart to it?
17 Adamfo kyerɛ ɔdɔ ɛberɛ nyinaa mu, wɔwo onua barima ma ahokyere berɛ.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 Obi a ɔnni adwene no na ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu nam so de si awowa ma ne yɔnko.
A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes surety in the presence of his friend.
19 Deɛ ɔpɛ ntɔkwa no dɔ bɔne; deɛ ɔsi ɛpono tentene no frɛfrɛ ɔsɛeɛ.
He loves transgression that loves strife: and he that exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ akoma kontonkyi no nnya nkɔsoɔ; deɛ ne tɛkrɛma daadaa no tɔ amaneɛ mu.
He that has a fraudulent heart finds no good: and he that has a perverse tongue falls into mischief.
21 Deɛ ɔwo ɔba kwasea no di awerɛhoɔ; ɔba kwasea agya nni anigyeɛ.
He that begets a fool does it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 Akoma mu anigyeɛ yɛ aduro ɛsa yadeɛ, nanso honhom a apɛkyɛ no wewe nnompe.
A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.
23 Omumuyɛfoɔ gye adanmudeɛ wɔ esum ase de kyea atɛntenenee.
A wicked man takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
24 Onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no ani kɔ nyansa so, na ɔkwasea toto nʼani kɔsi asase ano.
Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 Ɔba kwasea hyɛ nʼagya awerɛhoɔ, na ɔma deɛ ɔnyinsɛnee no no di yea.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
26 Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔtwe deɛ ɔdi bem aso, anaasɛ wɔtwa adwumayɛfoɔ mmaa wɔ wɔn nokorɛdie enti.
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
27 Ɔnimdefoɔ dwene nʼanom kasa ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu no wɔ abodwoɔ.
He that has knowledge spares his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea yɛ dinn a wɔbu no sɛ ɔnyansafoɔ, na sɛ ɔmua nʼano a wɔbu no sɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu.
Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
