Mmɛbusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
[My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;
5 ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahunu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
6 Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne nteaseɛ firi ba.
For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;
8 ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;
12 Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.
13 na wɔmane firi akwan pa so kɔnante esum akwan so,
Alas [for those] who forsake right paths, to walk in ways of darkness;
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wɔdi ahurisie wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
who rejoice in evils, and delight in wicked perverseness;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
whose paths are crooked, and their courses winding;
16 Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
to remove thee far from the straight way, and to estrange thee from a righteous purpose. [My] son, let not evil counsel overtake thee,
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
[of her] who has forsaken the instruction of her youth, and forgotten the covenant of God.
18 Ne fie yɛ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ owuo mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufoɔ honhom nkyɛn.
For she has fixed her house near death, and [guided] her wheels near Hades with the giants.
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go by her shall return, neither shall they take hold of right paths, for they are not apprehended of the years of life.
20 Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
For had they gone in good paths, they would have found the paths of righteousness easy.
21 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔn a wɔtene bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
For the upright shall dwell in the earth, and the holy shall be left behind in it.
22 na wɔbɛtwa amumuyɛfoɔ afiri asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofoɔ ase.
The paths of the ungodly shall perish out of the earth, and transgressors shall be driven away from it.
