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 hide my commandments with thee;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest 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 understanding.
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He layeth 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 keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
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 equity; [yea], every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
Discretion shall preserve thee, 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 way of the evil [man], from the man that speaketh 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 the wicked;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Whose ways [are] crooked, and [they] froward 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 stranger [which] flattereth with her words;
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
Which forsaketh the guide 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 inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go unto 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 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 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.
