Mmɛbusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
Oh, my son, that thou wouldst receive my words, And treasure up my precepts within thee;
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
That thou wouldst apply thine ear to wisdom, And incline thy heart to understanding!
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
For if thou wilt call aloud to knowledge, And lift up thy voice to understanding, —
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
If thou wilt seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden 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; From his mouth proceed knowledge and understanding:
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
He layeth up safety for the righteous; He is a shield to them that walk uprightly:
8 ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
He guardeth the paths of equity, And defendeth the way of his servants.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and equity And uprightness, yea, every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart, And knowledge is pleasant to thy soul,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
Discretion will guard thee, Understanding will preserve thee.
12 Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
It will deliver thee from the way of the wicked, From the men who speak perverse things;
13 na wɔmane firi akwan pa so kɔnante esum akwan so,
Who forsake 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 in doing evil, And delight in the perverseness of the wicked;
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Whose paths are crooked, And who are froward in their ways.
16 Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
It will deliver thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, who useth smooth words;
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
Who forsaketh the friend 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 to Death, And her paths to the shades of the dead:
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None that go to her return again; They will not attain the paths of life.
20 Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
Therefore walk thou 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 righteous 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 transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
