Mmɛbusɛm 22
1 Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
More choice, is a name, than great riches, beyond silver and gold, is pleasant grace.
2 Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
The rich and the poor, meet together, the maker of them all, is Yahweh.
3 Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
A prudent man, seeth calamity, and hideth himself, but, the simple, pass on, and suffer.
4 Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
The reward of humility, is the reverence of Yahweh, riches, and honour, and life.
5 Nkasɛɛ ne mfidie wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ akwan so, nanso deɛ ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
Thorns and snares, are in the way of the perverse, —he that guardeth his soul, shall be far from them.
6 Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
Train up a youth, in the direction of his duty, even when he becometh old, he will not depart from it.
7 Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
The rich, over the poor, beareth rule, —and, slave, is the borrower to the lender.
8 Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
He that soweth perversity, shall reap trouble, and, the rod of his wrath, shall be ready.
9 Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
A benevolent eye, the same, shall be blessed, —because he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
Drive away the scoffer, that strife may depart, and quarrel, and contempt may cease.
11 Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
Yahweh loveth the pure in heart, gracious are his lips, his friend is the king!
12 Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
The eyes of Yahweh, watch over knowledge, therefore hath he overturned the words of the treacherous.
13 Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
Saith the sluggard, A lion outside! Amidst the broadways, shall I be slain.
14 Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
A deep chasm, is the mouth of strange women, he with whom Yahweh is indignant, falleth there.
15 Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
Foolishness, is bound up in the heart of a youth, the rod of correction, shall drive it far from him.
16 Obi bɛsisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefoɔ adeɛ, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
He that oppresseth the poor, to make increase for himself, giving to the rich, shall surely come to want.
17 Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
Incline thine ear and hear the words of wise men, then, thy heart, wilt thou apply to my teaching;
18 ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wʼakoma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
For sweet shall they be, when thou shalt keep them in thine inmost mind, they shall fit well together, upon thy lips.
19 Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
That in Yahweh may be thy trust, I have made them known to thee to-day, even to thee.
20 Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
Have I not written for thee noble things, with counsels and knowledge:
21 a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokorɛ ne deɛ akyinnyeɛ nni ho, sɛdeɛ wobɛnya mmuaeɛ pa ama deɛ ɔsomaa woɔ no anaa?
To cause thee to know the meaning of faithful sayings, that thou mayest give back faithful sayings to them who ask thee.
22 Mmɔ ahiafoɔ korɔno, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ enti, na nnsisi wɔn a wɔnni bie wɔ asɛnniiɛ,
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, neither crush thou the oppressed in the gate;
23 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
For, Yahweh, will plead their cause, and will despoil their despoilers of life.
24 Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
Do not have friendship with one given to anger, and, with a wrathful man, shall thou not enter in:
25 anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
Lest thou learn his ways, and take a snare to thy soul.
26 Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
Be not of them who strike hands, of them who are sureties for debts:
27 na sɛ wonni deɛ wɔde tua a wɔbɛhwan wo mpa mpo afiri wʼase.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
Do not move back the ancient boundary, which thy father’s made.
29 Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
Seest thou a man prompt in his business? before kings, shall he stand, he shall not stand before men who are obscure.
