Mmɛbusɛm 21
1 Ɔhene akoma da Awurade nsam; ɔkyerɛ no ɛkwan te sɛ asutene ma ɔkɔ baabiara a ɔpɛ.
As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it wherever he may desire to point out.
2 Onipa akwan nyinaa tene wɔ nʼani so, nanso Awurade na ɔkari akoma.
Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
3 Sɛ woyɛ adepa ne adeɛ a ɛtene a ɛsɔ Awurade ani sene afɔrebɔ.
To do justly and to speak truth, are more pleasing to God than the blood of sacrifices.
4 Ani a ɛtra ntɔn ne ahomasoɔ akoma, ne amumuyɛfoɔ asetena nyinaa yɛ bɔne!
A high-minded man is stout-hearted in [his] pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin.
5 Nsiyɛfoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ de mfasoɔ ba sɛdeɛ ntɛmpɛ kɔwie ohia no.
6 Ahonya a nkontompo tɛkrɛma de ba no yɛ huhuro ne owuo afidie.
He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity [on] to the snares of death.
7 Amumuyɛfoɔ basabasayɛ bɛtwe wɔn akɔ, ɛfiri sɛ wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔyɛ deɛ ɛtene.
Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.
8 Onipa a ɔdi fɔ no akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, na deɛ ne ho nni asɛm no adeyɛ tene.
To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.
9 Suhyɛ twɛtwɛwa ase baabi tena yɛ sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
[It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top, than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house.
10 Omumuyɛfoɔ kɔn dɔ bɔne; ɔnni ahummɔborɔ mma ne yɔnko.
The soul of the ungodly shall not be pitied by any man.
11 Sɛ wɔtwe fɛdifoɔ aso a, ntetekwaafoɔ hunu nyansa, sɛ wɔkyerɛkyerɛ onyansafoɔ a, ɔnya nimdeɛ.
When an intemperate man is punished the simple becomes wiser: and a wise man understanding will receive knowledge.
12 Ɔteneneeni no nim deɛ ɛrekɔso wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ fie na ɔde omumuyɛfoɔ no kɔ ɔsɛeɛ mu.
A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
13 Sɛ onipa sisi nʼaso wɔ mmɔborɔni su ho a ɔno nso bɛsu afrɛ, na wɔrennye no so.
He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear [him].
14 Kokoam adekyɛ dwodwo akoma, kɛtɛasehyɛ nso pata abufuhyeɛ.
A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath.
15 Sɛ wobu atɛntenenee a, teneneefoɔ anigye nanso ɛyɛ ahunahuna ma abɔnefoɔ.
[It is] the joy of the righteous to do judgement: but a holy [man] is abominable with evil-doers.
16 Onipa a ɔmane firi nhunumu kwan soɔ no bɛhome wɔ awufoɔ fekuo mu.
A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
17 Deɛ ɔdi ahosɛpɛ akyi no bɛyɛ ohiani; deɛ ɔpɛ nsã ne ngo no rennya ne ho da.
A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance;
18 Amumuyɛfoɔ de wɔn nkwa to hɔ ma teneneefoɔ, na atorofoɔ yɛ saa ma wɔn a wɔyɛ pɛ.
and a transgressor is the abomination of a righteous man.
19 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena ɛserɛ so, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ a nʼakoma ha no bɛtena.
[It is] better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.
20 Nnuane pa ne ngo ayɛ onyansafoɔ fie ma, nanso ɔkwasea di deɛ ɔwɔ nyinaa.
A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise; but foolish men will swallow it up.
21 Deɛ ɔti tenenee ne ɔdɔ no ɔnya nkwa, yiedie ne animuonyam.
The way of righteousness and mercy will find life and glory.
22 Onyansafoɔ to hyɛ ahoɔdenfoɔ kuropɔn so na ɔdwiri abandenden a wɔn werɛ hyɛ mu gu fam.
A wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortress in which the ungodly trusted.
23 Deɛ ɔkora nʼano ne ne tɛkrɛma no ɔtwe ne ho firi amanenya ho.
He that keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble.
24 Ɔhantanni a ɔma ne ho so no, ne din ne “Ɔfɛdifoɔ” ɔde ahantan ntrasoɔ yɛ adeɛ.
A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor.
25 Deɛ ɔkwadwofoɔ kɔn dɔ no bɛyɛ owuo ama no, ɛfiri sɛ ne nsa mpɛ adwumayɛ.
Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything.
26 Ɛda mu nyinaa ɔpere sɛ ɔbɛnya bebree, nanso ɔteneneeni deɛ, ɔma a ɔnnodo ho.
An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the righteous is unsparingly merciful and compassionate.
27 Omumuyɛfoɔ afɔrebɔ yɛ akyiwadeɛ, ne titire ne sɛ ɔde adwemmɔne bata ho.
The sacrifices of the ungodly are abomination to the Lord, for they offer them wickedly.
28 Adansekurumdini bɛyera, na obiara a ɔtie noɔ no nso wɔbɛsɛe no.
A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously.
29 Amumuyɛfoɔ di akakabensɛm na ɔteneneeni deɛ, ɔdwene nʼakwan ho.
An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the upright man himself understands his ways.
30 Nyansa, nhunumu ne nhyehyɛeɛ biara nni hɔ a ɛbɛtumi ayɛ yie atia Awurade.
There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel against the ungodly.
31 Wɔsiesie apɔnkɔ ma ɔko da, nanso nkonimdie yɛ Awurade dea.
A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but help is of the Lord.
