Mmɛbusɛm 22
1 Edin pa yɛ sene ahonya bebrebe; sɛ wɔbɛdi wo ni yɛ sene dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
A name is chosen rather than much wealth, Than silver and than gold — good grace.
2 Ɔdefoɔ ne ohiani wɔ adeɛ baako, Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfoɔ.
Rich and poor have met together, The Maker of them all [is] Jehovah.
3 Onitefoɔ hunu amanehunu a ɛreba na ɔhinta ne ho, nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim kɔnya amane.
The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.
4 Ahobrɛaseɛ ne Awurade suro ma ahonya ne animuonyam ne nkwa.
The end of humility [is] the fear of Jehovah, Riches, and honour, and life.
5 Nkasɛɛ ne mfidie wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ akwan so, nanso deɛ ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
Thorns — snares [are] in the way of the perverse, Whoso is keeping his soul is far from them.
6 Kyerɛ abɔfra ɛkwan a ɔmfa so, na sɛ ɔnyini a ɔremfiri so.
Give instruction to a youth about his way, Even when he is old he turneth not from it.
7 Adefoɔ di ahiafoɔ so, na boseagyeni yɛ deɛ ɔde fɛm ɔsomfoɔ.
The rich over the poor ruleth, And a servant [is] the borrower to the lender.
8 Deɛ ɔdua amumuyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuhyeɛ abaa.
Whoso is sowing perverseness reapeth sorrow, And the rod of his anger weareth out.
9 Ɔyamyɛfoɔ bɛnya nhyira ɛfiri sɛ ɔne ahiafoɔ kyɛ nʼaduane.
The good of eye — he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
10 Pam ɔfɛdifoɔ na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ; ntɔkwa ne atɛnnidie to atwa.
Cast out a scorner — and contention goeth out, And strife and shame cease.
11 Obi a ɔdɔ akoma a emu teɛ na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam bɛnya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
Whoso is loving cleanness of heart, Grace [are] his lips, a king [is] his friend.
12 Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ, na ɔsɛe ɔtorofoɔ nsɛm.
The eyes of Jehovah have kept knowledge, And He overthroweth the words of the treacherous.
13 Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyire hɔ!” anaasɛ, “Wɔbɛkum me wɔ mmɔntene so.”
The slothful hath said, 'A lion [is] without, In the midst of the broad places I am slain.'
14 Ɔbaa waresɛefoɔ anomu yɛ amena donkudonku; deɛ ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuo ase no bɛtɔ mu.
A deep pit [is] the mouth of strange women, The abhorred of Jehovah falleth there.
15 Agyimisɛm kyekyere abɔfra akoma ho, nanso ntenesoɔ abaa bɛpamo akɔ akyiri.
Folly is bound up in the heart of a youth, The rod of chastisement putteth it far from him.
16 Obi bɛsisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefoɔ adeɛ, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
He is oppressing the poor to multiply to him, He is giving to the rich — only to want.
17 Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi; fa wʼakoma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
Incline thine ear, and hear words of the wise, And thy heart set to my knowledge,
18 ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wʼakoma mu, na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
For they are pleasant when thou dost keep them in thy heart, They are prepared together for thy lips.
19 Sɛdeɛ wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so, merekyerɛkyerɛ wo ɛnnɛ, aane wo.
That thy trust may be in Jehovah, I caused thee to know to-day, even thou.
20 Mentwerɛɛ mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo, deɛ ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
Have I not written to thee three times 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 certainty of sayings of truth, To return sayings of truth to those sending 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, And bruise not the afflicted in the gate.
23 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafoɔ fa.
For Jehovah pleadeth their cause, And hath spoiled the soul of their spoilers.
24 Mfa obi a ne bo ha no adamfo, na mmfa wo ho mmɔ deɛ ne bo nkyɛre fu,
Shew not thyself friendly with an angry man, And with a man of fury go not in,
25 anyɛ saa a, wobɛsua nʼakwan na woakɔtɔ afidie mu.
Lest thou learn his paths, And have received a snare to thy soul.
26 Ɛnyɛ deɛ ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di agyinamu, anaasɛ deɛ ɔdi akagyinamu;
Be not thou among those striking hands, Among sureties [for] burdens.
27 na sɛ wonni deɛ wɔde tua a wɔbɛhwan wo mpa mpo afiri wʼase.
If thou hast nothing to pay, Why doth he take thy bed from under thee?
28 Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ; deɛ wo nananom de sisii hɔ no.
Remove not a border of olden times, That thy fathers have made.
29 Wohunu odwumayɛfoɔ a ne nsa akokwa nʼadwuma ho anaa? Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom, na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwaa anim.
Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!
