Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not 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 speak mischief.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 Nyansa wɔ akyiri dodo ma ɔkwasea; wɔ apono ano dwabɔ mu no ɔnni hwee ka.
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
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, which 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 learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 Nkɔtɛ ɔteneneeni fie sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ, na ɛnkɔto nhyɛ nʼatenaeɛ so,
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil 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 though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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 the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
For there shall be no posterity 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 thou the LORD and the king; And mingle 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 up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These also are words of 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 to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Na wɔn a wɔbu afɔdifoɔ fɔ no ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the 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 overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. 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.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
