Mmɛbusɛm 22
1 Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
A [good] name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2 Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.
3 Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
4 Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honor, 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 froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
6 Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
7 Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant to the lender.
8 Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
9 Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
10 Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall end; yes, strife and reproach shall cease.
11 Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king [shall be] his friend.
12 Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
13 Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
14 Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
The mouth of strange women [is] a deep pit: he that is abhorred by the LORD shall fall therein.
15 Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] 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 increase his [riches], [and] he that giveth to the rich, [shall] surely [come] to want.
17 Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
Bow down thy ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart to my knowledge.
18 ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wʼakoma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
For [it is] a pleasant thing if thou keepest them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokorɛ ne deɛ akyinnyeɛ nni ho, sɛdeɛ wobɛnya mmuaeɛ pa ama deɛ ɔsomaa woɔ no anaa?
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send to thee?
22 Mmɔ ahiafoɔ korɔno, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ enti, na nnsisi wɔn a wɔnni bie wɔ asɛnniiɛ,
Rob not the poor, because he [is] poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
23 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
24 Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
25 anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
26 Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
Be not thou [one] of them that strike hands, [or] of them that 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 he take away thy bed from under thee?
28 Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
29 Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].
