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 rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.
2 Ɔsomfoɔ nyansafoɔ bɛdi ɔba nimguasefoɔ so, na ɔbɛnya ne kyɛfa wɔ agyapadeɛ no mu sɛ anuanom no mu baako.
A wise servant rules over a son causing shame, And he apportions an inheritance in the midst of brothers.
3 Kyɛmferɛ wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ nanso Awurade na ɔsɔ akoma hwɛ.
A refining pot [is] for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts [is] YHWH.
4 Omumuyɛfoɔ tie nsusuiɛ bɔne; ɔtorofoɔ yɛ aso ma adwen bɔne tɛkrɛma.
An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Deɛ ɔdi ahiafoɔ ho fɛ no bu wɔn Yɛfoɔ animtiaa; na deɛ ɔfoa amanehunu soɔ no bɛnya asotwe.
Whoever is mocking at the poor Has reproached his Maker, Whoever is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.
6 Mmanananom yɛ mmasiriwa animuonyam, na awofoɔ yɛ wɔn mma ahohoahoa.
Sons’ sons [are] the crown of old men, And the glory of sons [are] their fathers.
7 Anokrokro nyɛ mma ɔkwasea, saa ara na ano a ɛdi torɔ mfata ɔhene.
A lip of excellence is not fitting for a fool, much less a lip of falsehood for a noble.
8 Kɛtɛasehyɛ daadaa deɛ ɔma; ɔgye sɛ ɛbɛma no nkonim.
A stone of grace [is] the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Wherever it turns, it prospers.
9 Deɛ ɔbu nʼani gu mfomsoɔ so no ma ɔdɔ ɛkwan, na deɛ ɔbɔ soɔ no tete nnamfonom ntam.
Whoever is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoever is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.
10 Nkaanim sɔ onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu ani sene mmaa ɔha a wɔbɔ ɔkwasea.
Rebuke comes down on the intelligent More than one hundred stripes on a fool.
11 Onipa bɔnefoɔ ani wɔ atuateɛ nko ara so na wɔbɛsoma odwumayɛfoɔ tirimuɔdenfoɔ akɔ ne so.
An evil man seeks only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.
12 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛhyia sisire a wɔawia ne mma sene ɔkwasea a ɔregyimie.
The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And—not a fool in his folly.
13 Sɛ obi de bɔne tua papa so ka a, bɔne rempa ne fie da.
Whoever is returning evil for good, Evil does not move from his house.
14 Ntɔkwa ahyɛaseɛ te sɛ deɛ wɔretue suka; enti gyae ma ɛnka na ankɔfa ɔham amma.
The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And leave the strife before it is meddled with.
15 Sɛ wɔbɛgyaa deɛ ɔdi fɔ ne sɛ wɔbɛbu deɛ ɔdi bem kumfɔ no, Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
Whoever is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these [are] an abomination to YHWH.
16 Sika a ɛwɔ ɔkwasea nsam ho nni mfasoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɔnni botaeɛ biara sɛ ɔbɛhunu nyansa.
Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart—there is none?
17 Adamfo kyerɛ ɔdɔ ɛberɛ nyinaa mu, wɔwo onua barima ma ahokyere berɛ.
The friend is loving 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 lacking heart is striking hands, He becomes a guarantor before his friend.
19 Deɛ ɔpɛ ntɔkwa no dɔ bɔne; deɛ ɔsi ɛpono tentene no frɛfrɛ ɔsɛeɛ.
Whoever is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoever is making his entrance high is seeking destruction.
20 Onipa a ɔwɔ akoma kontonkyi no nnya nkɔsoɔ; deɛ ne tɛkrɛma daadaa no tɔ amaneɛ mu.
The perverse of heart does not find good, And the [one] turned in his tongue falls into evil.
21 Deɛ ɔwo ɔba kwasea no di awerɛhoɔ; ɔba kwasea agya nni anigyeɛ.
Whoever is begetting a fool has affliction for it, Indeed, the father of a fool does not rejoice.
22 Akoma mu anigyeɛ yɛ aduro ɛsa yadeɛ, nanso honhom a apɛkyɛ no wewe nnompe.
A rejoicing heart does good to the body, And a struck spirit dries the bone.
23 Omumuyɛfoɔ gye adanmudeɛ wɔ esum ase de kyea atɛntenenee.
The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom, To turn aside the paths of judgment.
24 Onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no ani kɔ nyansa so, na ɔkwasea toto nʼani kɔsi asase ano.
The face of the intelligent [is] to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool—at the end of the earth.
25 Ɔba kwasea hyɛ nʼagya awerɛhoɔ, na ɔma deɛ ɔnyinsɛnee no no di yea.
A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, And bitterness to her bearing him.
26 Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔtwe deɛ ɔdi bem aso, anaasɛ wɔtwa adwumayɛfoɔ mmaa wɔ wɔn nokorɛdie enti.
Also, [it] is not good to fine the righteous, To strike nobles for uprightness.
27 Ɔnimdefoɔ dwene nʼanom kasa ho, na deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu no wɔ abodwoɔ.
One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper [is] a man of understanding.
28 Mpo sɛ ɔkwasea yɛ dinn a wɔbu no sɛ ɔnyansafoɔ, na sɛ ɔmua nʼano a wɔbu no sɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu.
Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips [seems] intelligent!
