Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Seek not to be like 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.
Because their mind studieth robberies, and their lips speak deceits.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
By wisdom the house shall be built, and by prudence it shall be strengthened.
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
By instruction the storerooms shall be filled with all precious and most beautiful wealth.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong: and a knowing man, stout and valiant.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
Because war is managed by due ordering: and there shall be safety where there are many counsels.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, in the gate he shall not open his mouth.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
He that deviseth to do evils, shall be called a fool.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
The thought of a fool is sin: and the detracter is the abomination of men.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Deliver them that are led to death: and those that are drawn to death forbear not to deliver.
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 say: I have not strength enough: he that seeth into the heart, he understandeth, and nothing deceiveth the keeper of thy soul, and he shall render to a man according to his works.
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
Fat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat:
14 Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul: which when thou hast found, thou shalt have hope in the end, and thy hope shall not perish.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Lie not in wait, nor seek after wickedness in the house of the just, nor spoil his rest.
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For a just mall shall fall seven times and shall rise again: but the wicked shall fall down into evil.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
When thy enemy shall fall, be not glad, and in his ruin let not thy heart rejoice:
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
Lest the Lord see, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Contend not with the wicked, nor seek to be like the ungodly:
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
For evil men have no hope of things to come, and 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 the Lord and the king: and have nothing to do with detracters.
22 ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These things also to the wise: It is not good to have respect to 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.
They that say to the wicked man: Thou art just: shall be cursed by the people, and the tribes shall abhor them.
25 Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
They that rebuke him, shall be praised: and a blessing shall come upon them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
He shall kiss the lips, who answereth right words.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Prepare thy work without, and diligently till thy ground: that afterward thou mayst build thy house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not witness without cause against thy neighbour: and deceive not any man 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 to him as he hath done to me: I will render to every one according to his work.
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I passed by the field of the slothful man, and by the vineyard of the foolish man:
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
And behold it was all filled with nettles, and thorns had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Which when I had seen, I laid it up in my heart, and by the example I received instruction.
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
Thou wilt sleep a little, said I, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little 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 shall come to thee as a runner, and beggary as an armed man.
