Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou enuious against euill 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 imagineth destruction, and their lippes speake mischiefe.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
Through wisdome is an house builded, and with vnderstanding it is established.
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
And by knowledge shall the chambers bee filled with all precious, and pleasant riches.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A wise man is strong: for a man of vnderstanding encreaseth his strength.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
For with counsel thou shalt enterprise thy warre, and in the multitude of them that can giue counsell, is health.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdome is hie to a foole: therefore he can not open his mouth in the gate.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
Hee that imagineth to doe euill, men shall call him an autour of wickednes.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
The wicked thought of a foole is sinne, and the scorner is an abomination vnto men.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thou bee faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Deliuer them that are drawen to death: wilt thou not preserue them that are led to be slaine?
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, Beholde, we knew not of it: he that pondereth the heartes, doeth not hee vnderstand it? and hee that keepeth thy soule, knoweth he it not? will not he also recompense euery man according to his workes?
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
My sonne, eate hony, for it is good, and the hony combe, for it is sweete vnto thy mouth.
14 Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
So shall the knowledge of wisdome be vnto thy soule, if thou finde it, and there shall be an ende, and thine hope shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Laye no waite, O wicked man, against the house of the righteous, and spoyle not his resting place.
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For a iust man falleth seuen times, and riseth againe: but the wicked fall into mischiefe.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth, and let not thine heart reioyce when hee stumbleth,
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
Least the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turne his wrath from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Fret not thy selfe because of the malicious, neither be enuious at the wicked.
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
For there shall bee none ende of plagues to the euill man: the light of the wicked shall bee put out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
My sonne feare the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are sedicious.
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 ruine of them both?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
ALSO THESE THINGS PERTEINE TO THE WISE, It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement.
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 to the wicked, Thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, and the multitude shall abhorre 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 pleasure, and vpon them shall come the blessing of goodnesse.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
They shall kisse the lippes of him that answereth vpright wordes.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Prepare thy worke without, and make readie thy thinges in the fielde, and after, builde thine house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not a witnes against thy neighbour without cause: for wilt thou deceiue with thy lippes?
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Say not, I wil doe to him, as he hath done to mee, I will recompence euery man according to his worke.
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I passed by the fielde of the slouthfull, and by the vineyarde of the man destitute of vnderstanding.
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
And lo, it was al growen ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Then I behelde, and I considered it well: I looked vpon it, and receiued instruction.
33 nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the handes to sleepe.
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 thy pouertie commeth as one that traueileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.
