Mmɛbusɛm 24
1 Mma wʼani mmerɛ amumuyɛfoɔ, mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
Do not be envious of those who are evil, nor desire to associate with them,
2 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn akoma dwene atirimuɔdensɛm ho, na wɔn ano ka deɛ ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
because their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about trouble.
3 Wɔde nyansa na ɛsi efie, na nhunumu mu na wɔma ɛtim;
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established.
4 ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wɔnya ademudeɛ a ɛho yɛ na na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Onyansafoɔ wɔ tumi a ɛso, na onimdefoɔ nyini ahoɔden mu;
A warrior of wisdom is strong, and a man of knowledge increases his strength;
6 deɛ ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ, deɛ ɔrepɛ nkonimdie no hia afotufoɔ pii.
for by wise direction you can wage your war and with many advisors there is victory.
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 does not open his mouth.
8 Onipa ɔbɔ pɔ bɔne no wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfoɔ.
There is one who plans to do evil— people call him a master of schemes.
9 Ogyimifoɔ nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ bɔne, nnipa kyiri ɔfɛdifoɔ.
A foolish plan is sin and men despise a mocker.
10 Sɛ wʼabamu go wɔ ɔhaw mu a, na wʼahoɔden sua!
If you become weak with fear in the day of trouble, then your strength is small.
11 Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akɔkum wɔn no nkwa; na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumiiɛ.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death and hold back those who are staggering to the 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 you say, “Behold, we knew nothing about this,” does not the one who weighs the heart understand what you are saying? The one who guards your life, does he not know it? Will God not give to each one what he deserves?
13 Me ba, di ɛwoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ; ɛwokyɛm mu woɔ yɛ wʼanomu dɛ.
My son, eat honey because it is good, because the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Hunu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ; sɛ wonya a, wowɔ anidasoɔ ma daakye, na wʼanidasoɔ renyɛ kwa.
Such is wisdom for your soul— if you find 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 lie in wait like the wicked person who attacks the house of the righteous person. Do not destroy his home!
16 Ɛwom sɛ ɔteneneeni hwe ase mpɛn nson deɛ, nanso ɔsɔre bio, na amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ, amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
For the righteous person falls down seven times and rises again, but wicked people are brought down by calamity.
17 Sɛ wo ɔtamfoɔ hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ; na sɛ ɔsunti a mma wʼakoma nni ahurisie,
Do not celebrate when your enemy falls and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade bɛhunu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ na ɔbɛyi nʼabufuhyeɛ afiri ne so.
or Yahweh will see and disapprove and turn away his wrath from him.
19 Ɛnha wo ho wɔ abɔnefoɔ enti na ɛmma wʼani mmere amumuyɛfoɔ nso,
Do not worry because of evildoers, and do not envy wicked people,
20 ɛfiri sɛ, ɔbɔnefoɔ nni anidasoɔ biara daakye, na wɔbɛdum amumuyɛfoɔ kanea.
for the evil person has no future and the lamp of wicked people will go out.
21 Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene, na mfa wo ho mmɔ adɔnyɛfoɔ ho,
Fear Yahweh, and fear the king, my son; do not associate with those who rebel against them,
22 ɛfiri sɛ saa baanu yi de ɔsɛeɛ bɛba wɔn so mpofirim, na hwan na ɔnim amanehunu ko a wɔbɛtumi de aba?
for suddenly their disaster will come and who knows the extent of the destruction that will come from both of them?
23 Yeinom nso yɛ anyansafoɔ Nsɛnka: Atemmuo a animhwɛ wɔ mu no nyɛ:
These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging a case at law 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.
Whoever says to the wicked person, “You are a righteous person,” 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 discipline the wicked will have delight and gifts of goodness will come to them.
26 Mmuaeɛ pa te sɛ mfeano.
The one who gives an honest answer gives a kiss on the lips.
27 Wie wo mfikyidwuma na siesie wo mfuo; ɛno akyi, si wo fie.
Prepare your outdoor work, and make everything ready for yourself in the field; after that, build your house.
28 Nni adanseɛ ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee, na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
Do not bear witness against your neighbor without cause and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Nka sɛ, “Deɛ wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi; deɛ ɔyɛeɛ no metua ne so ka.”
Do not say, “I will do to him what he has done to me; I will pay him back for what he has done.”
30 Menante faa onihafoɔ afuo ho twaa mu wɔ deɛ ɔnni adwene bobefuo nso ho;
I went by the field of a lazy man, past the vineyard of the man having no sense.
31 nkasɛɛ afu wɔ baabiara, wira afu akata asase no so, na aboɔ afasuo no nso abubu.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Mede mʼadwene kɔɔ deɛ mehunuiɛ no so na mesuaa biribi firii mu:
Then I saw and considered it; I looked 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.
and poverty comes marching upon you, and your needs like an armed soldier.
