Mmɛbusɛm 23
1 Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a, hwɛ deɛ ɛsi wʼanim no yie,
If you sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before you:
2 Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a, hyɛ wo ho so.
and apply your hand, knowing that it behoves you to prepare such [meats]: but if you are very insatiable,
3 Nni nʼaduane akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi, ɛfiri sɛ saa aduane no daadaa nnipa.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika; hunu nyansa na to wo bo ase.
If you are poor, measure not yourself with a rich man; but refrain yourself in your wisdom.
5 Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera, ampa ara ɛbɛfu ntaban na atu akɔ ewiem sɛ ɔkɔdeɛ.
If you should fix your eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛɛ aduane nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduane akyi;
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire you his meats:
7 ɛfiri sɛ ɔyɛ obi a ɛberɛ biara ɔdwene sika ho. Ɔka sɛ, “Didi na nom,” nanso ɛnyɛ nʼakoma mu.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to yourself, nor eat your morsel with him:
8 Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe na ɛno enti wo nkamfo ho remma mfasoɔ.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil your fair words.
9 Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea, ɛfiri sɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at your wise words.
10 Ntutu tete aboɔ a wɔde ato hyeɛ ngu, na ntra hyeɛ nkɔ nwisiaa mfuo mu,
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn Gyefoɔ yɛ den, na ɔbɛdi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with you.
12 Ma wʼakoma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
Apply your heart to instruction, and prepare your ears for words of discretion.
13 Ntwentwɛne abɔfra ntenesoɔ so; sɛ wode abaa tene no a, ɔrenwu.
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For you shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Me ba, sɛ wʼakoma hunu nyansa a, ɛnneɛ mʼakoma ani bɛgye;
Son, if your heart be wise, you shall also gladden my heart;
16 sɛ wʼano ka deɛ ɛtene a me mu adeɛ nyinaa ani bɛgye.
and your lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Mma wʼani mmerɛ abɔnefoɔ, mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden ɛberɛ biara.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Ampa ara anidasoɔ wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ ɔkwa.
For if you should keep these things, you shall have posterity; and your hope shall not be removed.
19 Me ba, tie, na hunu nyansa, ma wʼakoma mfa ɛkwan tenenee so.
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of your heart.
20 Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafoɔ anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ ɛnam mmorosoɔ,
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 ɛfiri sɛ, akɔwensafoɔ ne adidibradafoɔ bɛyɛ ahiafoɔ, na anikum fira wɔn ntomago.
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo woɔ no, na sɛ wo maame bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtia.
Listen, [my] son, to your father which begot you, and despise not [your mother] because she is grown old.
23 Tɔ nokorɛ na ntɔn da; nya nyansa, ahohyɛsoɔ ne nhunumu.
24 Ɔteneneeni agya wɔ anigyeɛ bebree; deɛ ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafoɔ no anigye ne ho.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 Ma wʼagya ne wo maame ani nnye; ma ɔbaa a ɔwoo woɔ no nnya ahosɛpɛ.
Let your father and your mother rejoice over you, and let her that bore you be glad.
26 Me ba, fa wʼakoma ma me na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
[My] son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 na odwamanfoɔ yɛ amena donkudonku ɔyere sansani yɛ ɔdaadaafoɔ.
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 Ɔtɛ, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ɔma mmarima mu atorofoɔ dɔɔso.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 Hwan na wɔadome no? Hwan na ɔdi awerɛhoɔ? Hwan na ɔdi apereapereɛ? Hwan na ɔnwiinwii? Hwan na wapirapira hunaa? Hwan na mogya ada nʼani so?
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 Wɔn a wɔkyɛre nsã ho, na wɔka nsã a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Nhwɛ nsã ani kɔkɔɔ no haa, ɛberɛ a ɛretwa yerɛ yerɛ wɔ kuruwa mu, na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
For if you should set your eyes on bowls and cups, you shall afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 Awieeɛ no ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ na ɛwɔ borɔ te sɛ ahurutoa.
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one struck by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 Wʼani bɛhunu nneɛma a wonhunuu da, na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
Whenever your eyes shall behold a strange woman, then your mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a, ɔkura ɛhyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ɛdenkye denkye wɔ ɛpo so.
And you shall lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 Na wobɛka sɛ, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mempira. Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyea biara. Ɛberɛ bɛn na menyane akɔpɛ nsã anom bio?”
And you shall say, They struck me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
