Mmɛbusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛdifoɔ na nsaden yɛ ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; na obiara a nsã bɛma wafom ɛkwan no nnyɛ onyansafoɔ.
WINE is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ te sɛ gyata mmobom; na deɛ ɔhyɛ no abufuo no de nkwa twa so.
The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Onipa akoma apɛdeɛ yɛ subunu mu, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no twetwe.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahennwa so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhu bɔne nyinaa so gu.
A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Nkariboɔ ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
11 Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hunu adeɛ, Awurade na wayɛ ne mmienu.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; ɛnna, na wobɛnya aduane ama abu so.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhwenepa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ nna.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 Agyapadeɛ a wɔpere ho nya no ahyɛaseɛ no renyɛ nhyira akyire no.
An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Nka sɛ, “Mɛtua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na ɔbɛgye wo.
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
23 Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokorɛdie bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔeɛ ma nʼahennwa tim.
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
