Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Have no envy for evil men, or any desire to be with them:
2 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
For the purposes of their hearts are destruction, and their lips are talking of trouble.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
The building of a house is by wisdom, and by reason it is made strong:
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
And by knowledge its rooms are full of all dear and pleasing things.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong; and a man of knowledge makes strength greater.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
For by wise guiding you will overcome in war: and in a number of wise guides there is salvation.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdom is outside the power of the foolish: he keeps his mouth shut in the public place.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
He whose purposes are bad will be named a man of evil designs.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
The purpose of the foolish is sin: and the hater of authority is disgusting to others.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If you give way in the day of trouble, your strength is small.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.
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, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
My son, take honey, for it is good; and the flowing honey, which 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.
So let your desire be for wisdom: if you have it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Do not keep a secret watch, O evil-doer, against the fields of the upright man, or send destruction on his resting-place:
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For an upright man, after falling seven times, will get up again: but trouble is the downfall of the evil.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
Do not be glad at the fall of your hater, and let not your heart have joy at his downfall:
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
For fear that the Lord may see it, and it may be evil in his eyes, and his wrath may be turned away from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Do not be troubled because of evil-doers, or have envy of sinners:
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging 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.
He who says to the evil-doer, You are upright, will be cursed by peoples and hated by nations.
25 Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
But those who say sharp words to him will have delight, and a blessing of good will come on them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
He gives a kiss with his lips who gives a right answer.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Put your work in order outside, and make it ready in the field; and after that, see to the building of your house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Do not be a violent witness against your neighbour, or let your lips say what is false.
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Say not, I will do to him as he has done to me; I will give the man the reward of his work.
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I went by the field of the hater of work, and by the vine-garden of the man without sense;
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
And it was all full of thorns, and covered with waste plants, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Then looking at it, I gave thought: I saw, and I got teaching from it.
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
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.
So loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man.
