< Mmɛbusɛm 24 >

1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 Sɛ woka sɛ, “Na yɛnnim yei ho hwee a,” deɛ ɔkari akoma hwɛ no nhunu anaa? Deɛ ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim anaa? Ɔrentua deɛ obiara ayɛ so ka anaa?
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ deɛ ɔdi fɔ sɛ, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a ɔkura akodeɛ. Na ohia bɛto akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfoɔ.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

< Mmɛbusɛm 24 >