Mmɛbusɛm 20
1 Nsa yɛ ɔfɛdifoɔ na nsaden yɛ ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; na obiara a nsã bɛma wafom ɛkwan no nnyɛ onyansafoɔ.
Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it 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] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Onipa akoma apɛdeɛ yɛ subunu mu, nanso onipa a ɔwɔ nhunumu no twetwe.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 Sɛ ɔhene tena nʼahennwa so bu atɛn a, ɔde nʼani huhu bɔne nyinaa so gu.
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
9 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Nkariboɔ ne susudua a ɛnyɛ papa no Awurade kyiri ne mmienu.
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
11 Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 Aso a wɔde te asɛm ne ani a wɔde hunu adeɛ, Awurade na wayɛ ne mmienu.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Mma nna nyɛ wo dɛ, na woanni hia; ɛnna, na wobɛnya aduane ama abu so.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
14 Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 Sika kɔkɔɔ wɔ hɔ, na nhwenepa nso abu so, na ano a ɛka nimdeɛ nsɛm yɛ ɔbohemaa a ɛho yɛ nna.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 Agyapadeɛ a wɔpere ho nya no ahyɛaseɛ no renyɛ nhyira akyire no.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Nka sɛ, “Mɛtua wo saa bɔne yi so ka!” Twɛn Awurade, na ɔbɛgye wo.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Ɔdɔ ne nokorɛdie bɔ ɔhene ho ban; nʼadɔeɛ ma nʼahennwa tim.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
