Mmɛbusɛm 2
1 Me ba, sɛ wotie me nsɛm, na woma me nkyerɛkyerɛ tena wo mu a,
My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee,
2 sɛ wowɛn wʼaso ma nyansa na wode wʼakoma ma nteaseɛ,
To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,
3 na woma wo nne so frɛ nhunumu na wosu frɛ nteaseɛ,
For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice,
4 na sɛ wohwehwɛ no te sɛ deɛ wohwehwɛ dwetɛ na wo hwehwɛ no sɛdeɛ worepɛ ademudeɛ a ahinta a,
If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her,
5 ɛno na wobɛte Awurade suro ase na woahunu Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ.
Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest.
6 Awurade ma nimdeɛ, na nʼanom na nyansa ne nteaseɛ firi ba.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
7 Ɔkora nkonimdie ma wɔn a wɔteneɛ, ɔyɛ kyɛm ma wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ pɛ,
Even to lay up for the upright substance, A shield for those walking uprightly.
8 ɔwɛn deɛ ɔtene akwan, na ɔbɔ wɔn a wɔdi no nokorɛ no akwan ho ban.
To keep the paths of judgment, And the way of His saints He preserveth.
9 Ɛno na wobɛte deɛ ɛyɛ ne deɛ ɛyɛ pɛ ne deɛ ɛfata, ɛkwan biara a ɛyɛ ase.
Then understandest thou righteousness, And judgment, and uprightness — every good path.
10 Afei nyansa bɛwura wʼakoma mu, na nimdeɛ ayɛ ahomeka ama wo kra.
For wisdom cometh into thy heart, And knowledge to thy soul is pleasant,
11 Adwene bɛbɔ wo ho ban na nteaseɛ ahwɛ wo so.
Thoughtfulness doth watch over thee, Understanding doth keep thee,
12 Nyansa bɛyi wo afiri amumuyɛfoɔ akwan mu, ɛbɛyi wo afiri nnipa a wɔn nsɛm yɛ basabasa nsam,
To deliver thee from an evil way, From any speaking froward things,
13 na wɔmane firi akwan pa so kɔnante esum akwan so,
Who are forsaking paths of uprightness, To walk in ways of darkness,
14 wɔn a wɔn ani gye bɔneyɛ ho, na wɔdi ahurisie wɔ bɔne mu basabasayɛ ho,
Who are rejoicing to do evil, They delight in frowardness of the wicked,
15 wɔn a wɔn akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye na wɔyɛ abonsamfoɔ wɔ wɔn akwan mu.
Whose paths [are] crooked, Yea, they are perverted in their ways.
16 Nimdeɛ bɛgye wo afiri ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ no nsam, afiri ɔbaa warefoɔ sansani a ɔka nnaadaasɛm ho,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, From the stranger who hath made smooth her sayings,
17 deɛ wagyaa ne mmabaawaberɛ mu kunu na wapo apam a ɔyɛɛ wɔ Onyankopɔn anim no.
Who is forsaking the guide of her youth, And the covenant of her God hath forgotten.
18 Ne fie yɛ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ owuo mu na nʼakwan kɔ awufoɔ honhom nkyɛn.
For her house hath inclined unto death, And unto Rephaim her paths.
19 Obiara a ɔkɔ ne nkyɛn no nsane mma anaasɛ ɔrensi nkwa akwan so.
None going in unto her turn back, Nor do they reach the paths of life.
20 Enti wobɛdi nnipa pa anammɔn akyi na woanante ateneneefoɔ akwan so.
That thou dost go in the way of the good, And the paths of the righteous dost keep.
21 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔn a wɔtene bɛtena asase no so, na wɔn a asɛm nni wɔn ho no na wɔbɛka hɔ;
For the upright do inhabit the earth, And the perfect are left in it,
22 na wɔbɛtwa amumuyɛfoɔ afiri asase no so, na wɔatɔre atorofoɔ ase.
And the wicked from the earth are cut off, And treacherous dealers plucked out of it!
