Mmɛbusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
So that thou make thine ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment;
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
Yea, if thou call for understanding, and lift up thy voice for discernment;
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
If thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid 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 giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment;
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8 ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
That He may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of His godly ones.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and justice, and equity, yea, every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
Discretion shall watch over thee, discernment shall guard thee;
12 Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
To deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men that speak froward things;
13 na wɔmane firi akwan pa so kɔnante esum akwan so,
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wɔdi ahurisie wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of evil;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Who are crooked in their ways, and perverse in their paths;
16 Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words;
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
That forsaketh the lord of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 Ne fie yɛ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ owuo mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufoɔ honhom nkyɛn.
For her house sinketh down unto death, and her paths unto the shades;
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life;
20 Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
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 land, and the whole-hearted shall remain in it.
22 na wɔbɛtwa amumuyɛfoɔ afiri asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofoɔ ase.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the faithless shall be plucked up out of it.
