Mmɛbusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛdifoɔ na nsaden yɛ ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; na obiara a nsã bɛma wafom ɛkwan no nnyɛ onyansafoɔ.
Wine turns you into a mocker, alcohol makes you aggressive; you're stupid to be deceived by drink.
2 Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ te sɛ gyata mmobom; na deɛ ɔhyɛ no abufuo no de nkwa twa so.
When a king gets terribly angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; anyone who makes him furious is liable to be killed.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
Avoiding conflict is the proper thing to do, but stupid people are quick to argue.
4 Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
Slackers don't sow when they should, so when harvest comes they don't have anything.
5 Onipa akoma apɛdeɛ yɛ subunu mu, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no twetwe.
Discovering what someone is planning in their mind is like looking at deep water, but a person who has understanding will find out.
6 Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
Many people tell you they're loyal, but can you find someone really trustworthy?
7 Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
Good people live honestly; how happy are their children if they follow them.
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahennwa so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhu bɔne nyinaa so gu.
When a king sits in judgment he recognizes all that isn't right.
9 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
Who can claim, “I've made sure my conscience is clean; I've purified myself from sin”?
10 Nkariboɔ ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
The Lord hates both dishonest weights and dishonest measures.
11 Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
Even children reveal what they're like by what they do, whether their actions are good and right.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hunu adeɛ, Awurade na wayɛ ne mmienu.
The Lord made our ears to hear and our eyes to see.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; ɛnna, na wobɛnya aduane ama abu so.
If you love sleeping you'll become poor. Wake up and get busy, and you'll have plenty to eat.
14 Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
“It's really rubbish,” says the one buying, but afterwards goes and boasts to others about making a good deal.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhwenepa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ nna.
There's gold and plenty of expensive gemstones, but talking sense is a more valuable jewel.
16 Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
If someone guarantees a stranger's debt with their cloak, be sure to take it! Make sure you have whatever is pledged to foreigners!
17 Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Food you get by cheating may taste sweet, but afterwards it will be like a mouthful of gravel.
18 Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
With sound advice, plans are successful; if you're going to war, make sure you have good guidance.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
A gossip goes around revealing secrets; stay away from people who talk a lot.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
Anyone who curses their father or mother will have their light put out and end in utter darkness.
21 Agyapadeɛ a wɔpere ho nya no ahyɛaseɛ no renyɛ nhyira akyire no.
Wealth gained too soon won't do you any good in the end.
22 Nka sɛ, “Mɛtua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na ɔbɛgye wo.
Don't say, “I'll get you back for doing me wrong.” Leave it to the Lord, and he'll help you.
23 Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
The Lord hates incorrect weights; using dishonest scales is wrong.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
The Lord shows us the way to go, so how would we decide for ourselves?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
It's a mistake to make a promise to God and then have second thoughts about it later.
26 Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
A wise king separates out the wicked by winnowing and punishes them by threshing.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The Lord's light shines on the conscience, revealing our deepest thoughts.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokorɛdie bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔeɛ ma nʼahennwa tim.
Trustworthy love and faithfulness keep a king safe; trustworthy love supports his rule.
29 Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
Young men value their strength, but the old value even more the wisdom that comes with gray hair.
30 Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
Wounds and blows clean away what's evil; beatings clean what's deep down inside.
