Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
2 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
[If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to 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 thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
14 Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
22 ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ deɛ ɔdi fɔ sɛ, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
25 Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I 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.
So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
