Mmɛbusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding;
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
If you 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 shall you 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: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves the way of his saints.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
Then shall you understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yes, every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul;
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
Discretion shall preserve you, understanding shall keep you:
12 Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
To deliver you from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks fraudulent 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 the wicked;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Whose ways are crooked, and they fraudulent in their paths:
16 Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
To deliver you from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flatters with her words;
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
Which forsakes the guide of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.
18 Ne fie yɛ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ owuo mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufoɔ honhom nkyɛn.
For her house inclines to death, and her paths to the dead.
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go to her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
20 Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
That you may 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 perfect 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 earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
