Mmɛbusɛm 19
1 Ohiani a ne nanteɛ ho nni asɛm no yɛ sene ɔkwasea a nʼasɛm mfa ɛkwan mu.
Better [is] the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse [in] his lips—who [is] a fool.
2 Mmɔdemmɔ a nimdeɛ nka ho no nyɛ, saa ara na ntɛmpɛ a ɛma obi yera ɛkwan nso nyɛ.
Also, without knowledge the soul [is] not good, And the hasty in feet is sinning.
3 Onipa agyimisɛm sɛe nʼabrabɔ, nanso nʼakoma huru tia Awurade.
The folly of man perverts his way, And his heart is angry against YHWH.
4 Ahonya frɛfrɛ nnamfonom bebree; nanso ohiani adamfo gya no hɔ.
Wealth adds many friends, And the poor is separated from his neighbor.
5 Adansekurumni bɛnya nʼakatua, na deɛ ɔtwa nkontompo remfa ne ho nni.
A false witness is not acquitted, Whoever breathes out lies is not delivered.
6 Nnipa pii pɛ adom firi sodifoɔ nkyɛn, na deɛ ɔkyɛ adeɛ yɛ obiara adamfo.
Many beg the face of the noble, And all have made friendship to a man of gifts.
7 Ohiani abusuafoɔ nyinaa po no, na saa ara na ne nnamfonom po no! Mpo ɔhwehwɛ wɔn pɛ sɛ ɔpa wɔn kyɛw, nanso ɔnhunu wɔn baabiara.
All the brothers of the poor have hated him, Surely his friends have also been far from him, He is pursuing words—they are not!
8 Deɛ ɔnya nyansa no dɔ ne kra; deɛ ɔpɛ nhunumu no nya nkɔsoɔ.
Whoever is getting heart is loving his soul, He is keeping understanding to find good.
9 Adansekurumni bɛnya asotwe, na deɛ ɔtwa nkontompo no bɛyera.
A false witness is not acquitted, And whoever breathes out lies perishes.
10 Akɛsesɛm mfata ɔkwasea, anaasɛ akoa bɛdi mmapɔmma so!
Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule among princes.
11 Onipa nyansa ma no ntoboaseɛ; sɛ ɔbu nʼani gu mfomsoɔ bi so a ɛhyɛ no animuonyam.
The wisdom of a man has deferred his anger, And his glory [is] to pass over transgression.
12 Ɔhene abufuo te sɛ gyata mmobom, na nʼadom te sɛ ɛserɛ so bosuo.
The wrath of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, And his goodwill as dew on the herb.
13 Ɔba kwasea yɛ nʼagya ɔsɛeɛ, ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ te sɛ nsusosɔ a ɛntwa da.
A foolish son [is] a calamity to his father, And the contentions of a wife [are] a continual dropping.
14 Afie ne ahonyadeɛ yɛ agyapadeɛ a ɛfiri awofoɔ, na ɔyere nimdefoɔ firi Awurade.
House and wealth [are] the inheritance of fathers, And an understanding wife [is] from YHWH.
15 Akwadworɔ de nnahɔɔ ba, na ɛkɔm de ɔkwadwofoɔ.
Sloth causes deep sleep to fall, And an indolent soul hungers.
16 Deɛ ɔdi nkyerɛkyerɛ so no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban, na deɛ ɔgyaagyaa ne ho no bɛwu.
Whoever is keeping the command is keeping his soul, Whoever is despising His ways dies.
17 Deɛ ɔyɛ adɔeɛ ma ohiani no yɛ de fɛm Awurade, na ɔbɛtua no deɛ ɔyɛ no so ka.
Whoever is lending [to] YHWH is favoring the poor, And He repays his deed to him.
18 Tene wo ba, na ɛno mu na anidasoɔ wɔ, na ɛnyɛ wɔn a wɔde no kɔ owuo mu no mu baako.
Discipline your son, for there is hope, And do not lift up your soul to put him to death.
19 Ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a nʼakoma ha no no tua so ka; sɛ woka ma no a wobɛyɛ bio.
A man of great wrath is bearing punishment, For if you deliver, yet again you add.
20 Tie afotuo na gye nkyerɛkyerɛ to mu, na awieeɛ no, wobɛhunu nyansa.
Hear counsel and receive instruction, So that you are wise in your latter end.
21 Nhyehyɛeɛ bebree wɔ onipa akoma mu, nanso deɛ Awurade pɛ no na ɛba mu.
The purposes in a man’s heart [are] many, And the counsel of YHWH—it stands.
22 Deɛ onipa pɛ ne nokorɛ dɔ; ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛyɛ ohiani sene sɛ wobɛyɛ ɔtorofoɔ.
The desirableness of a man [is] his kindness, And the poor [is] better than a liar.
23 Awurade suro kɔ nkwa mu; na onipa de abotɔyam home a ɔhaw bi nni mu.
The fear of YHWH [is] to life, And he remains satisfied—he is not charged with evil.
24 Ɔkwadwofoɔ nsa ka ayowaa mu na ɔremma so mpo nkɔ nʼano!
The slothful has hidden his hand in a dish, Even to his mouth he does not bring it back.
25 Twa ɔfɛdifoɔ mmaa, na atetekwaa bɛfa adwene; ka deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu anim, na ɔbɛnya nimdeɛ.
Strike a scorner, and the simple acts prudently, And give reproof to the intelligent, He understands knowledge.
26 Deɛ ɔbɔ nʼagya korɔno na ɔpamo ne maame no yɛ ɔba a ɔde aniwuo ne animguaseɛ ba.
Whoever is spoiling a father causes a mother to flee, A son causing shame, and bringing confusion.
27 Me ba, sɛ wogyae nkyerɛkyerɛ tie a, wobɛmane afiri nimdeɛ nsɛm ho.
Cease, my son, to hear instruction—To err from sayings of knowledge.
28 Adansekurumni di atɛntenenee ho fɛw; na omumuyɛfoɔ ano mene bɔne.
A worthless witness scorns judgment, And the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity.
29 Wɔasiesie asotwe ama fɛdifoɔ, ne mmaabɔ ama nkwaseafoɔ akyi.
Judgments have been prepared for scorners, And stripes for the back of fools!
