Mmɛbusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛdifoɔ na nsaden yɛ ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; na obiara a nsã bɛma wafom ɛkwan no nnyɛ onyansafoɔ.
Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.
2 Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ te sɛ gyata mmobom; na deɛ ɔhyɛ no abufuo no de nkwa twa so.
The threat of a king differs not from the rage of a lion; and he that provokes him sins against his own soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
[It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
4 Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.
5 Onipa akoma apɛdeɛ yɛ subunu mu, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no twetwe.
Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.
6 Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man.
7 Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed.
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahennwa so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhu bɔne nyinaa so gu.
Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.
9 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins?
10 Nkariboɔ ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
A large and small weight, and various measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and [so is] he that makes them.
11 Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
A youth [when in company] with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and [then] his way will be straight.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hunu adeɛ, Awurade na wayɛ ne mmienu.
The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; ɛnna, na wobɛnya aduane ama abu so.
Love not to speak ill, lest you be cut off: open your eyes, and be filled with bread.
14 Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhwenepa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ nna.
16 Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
17 Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
18 Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness.
21 Agyapadeɛ a wɔpere ho nya no ahyɛaseɛ no renyɛ nhyira akyire no.
A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end.
22 Nka sɛ, “Mɛtua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na ɔbɛgye wo.
Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help you.
23 Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.
26 Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokorɛdie bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔeɛ ma nʼahennwa tim.
Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness.
29 Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men.
30 Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] in the inward parts of [their] belly.
