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 wroth is wronging his soul.
3 Ɛyɛ onipa animuonyam sɛ ɔbɛkwati akasakasa, nanso ogyimifoɔ biara pɛ ntɔkwa.
An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
4 Onihafoɔ mfuntum nʼasase wɔ ne berɛ mu; enti ɛduru twaberɛ a ɔnnya hwee.
Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh 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 draweth it up.
6 Nnipa dodoɔ no ara ka sɛ wɔwɔ ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi ahunu ɔnokwafoɔ?
A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
7 Ɔteneneeni bu ɔbra kronkron; nhyira ne ne mma a wɔba nʼakyi.
The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness 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 with his eyes all evil,
9 Hwan na ɔbɛtumi aka sɛ, “Mapra mʼakoma mu; meyɛ kronn na menni bɔne”?
Who saith, '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 Jehovah.
11 Mpo wɔnam abɔfra nneyɛɛ so hunu no, sɛ ne suban yɛ kronn ne papa.
Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be 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, Jehovah 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 become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
14 Ɔtɔfoɔ ka sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ, ɛnyɛ!” nanso sɛ ɔkɔ a, ɔde deɛ watɔ no hoahoa ne ho.
'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
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, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Fa obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu atadeɛ; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
17 Aduane a wɔnya no ɛkwan bɔne so no yɛ onipa anomu dɛ, nanso akyire no ɛdane mmosea wɔ nʼanom.
Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
18 Pɛ afotuo yɛ wo nhyehyɛeɛ; sɛ wotu ɔsa a, nya ho akwankyerɛ.
Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
19 Osekuni da kokoamsɛm adi; enti twe wo ho firi onipa a ɔkasa bebree ho.
A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
20 Sɛ obi dome nʼagya anaasɛ ne maame a, wɔbɛdum ne kanea wɔ esum kabii mu.
Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp 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 recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
23 Awurade kyiri nkariboɔ a ɛnyɛ papa, na nsisie nsania nso nsɔ nʼani.
An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 Awurade na ɔkyerɛ onipa anammɔntuo. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi bɛte nʼankasa akwan ase?
From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
25 Obi pɛ ntɛm hyɛ bɔ, ansa na wadwene ho a, ɔsum ne ho afidie.
A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
26 Ɔhene nyansafoɔ hunu amumuyɛfoɔ; na ɔde ayuyamfidie hankra fa wɔn so.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
27 Awurade kanea hwehwɛ onipa honhom mu, ɛhwehwɛ ne mu baabiara.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, 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 hath supported by kindness his throne.
29 Mmeranteɛ animuonyam ne wɔn ahoɔden, tidwono nso ne mmasiriwa animuonyam.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
30 Ɔhweɛ ne apirakuro hohoro amumuyɛ mmaaka te akoma mu.
The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
