Mmɛbusɛm 25
1 Yeinom yɛ Salomo mmɛbusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufoɔ twerɛeɛ:
These are the miscellaneous instructions of Solomon, which the friends of Ezekias king of Judea copied out.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo animuonyam.
The glory of God conceals a matter: but the glory of a king honors business.
3 Sɛdeɛ ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo akoma mu.
Heaven is high, and earth is deep, and a king's heart is unsearchable.
4 Sɛ wɔyi dwetɛ ho a, dwetɛdwumfoɔ tumi de yɛ adeɛ a ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ;
Beat the drossy silver, and it shall be made entirely pure.
5 Yi amumuyɛfoɔ firi ɔhene anim, na tenenee bɛma nʼahennwa atim.
Slay the ungodly from before the king, and his throne shall prosper in righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere diberɛ wɔ atitire mu;
Be not boastful in the presence of the king, and remain not in the places of princes;
7 Ɛyɛ ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo sɛ, “Bra soro ha,” sene sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitire bi anim. Deɛ wode wʼani ahunu no
for [it is] better for you that it should be said, Come up to me, than that [one] should humble you in the presence of the prince; speak of that which your eyes have seen.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asɛnniiɛ, na sɛ awieeɛ no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Get not suddenly into a quarrel, lest you repent at last.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforɔ ahintasɛm adi,
Whenever your friend shall reproach you, retreat backward, despise [him] not;
10 anyɛ saa a, deɛ ɔbɛte no bɛgu wʼanim ase na edin bɔne a wobɛnya no rempepa da.
lest your friend continue to reproach you, so your quarrel and enmity shall not depart, but shall be to you like death. Favour and friendship set [a man] free, which do you keep for yourself, lest you be made liable to reproach; but take heed to your ways peaceably.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛdeɛ ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesieɛ mu.
[As] a golden apple in a necklace of sardius, so [is it] to speak a [wise] word.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asomuadeɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ahyehyɛdeɛ te sɛ onyansafoɔ animka a ɔde ma deɛ ɔyɛ aso ma no.
In an ear-ring of gold a precious sardius is also set; [so is] a wise word to an obedient ear.
13 Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma ma ewiem dwoɔ wɔ otwa berɛ mu no saa ara na ɔsomafoɔ nokwafoɔ teɛ ma wɔn a wɔsoma no; na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
As a fall of snow in the time of harvest is good against heat, so a faithful messenger [refreshes] those that send him; for he helps the souls of his employers.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osutɔ mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛdeɛ a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
As winds and clouds and rains are most evident [objects], so is he that boasts of a false gift.
15 Ntoboaseɛ ma sodifoɔ ti da, na tɛkrɛmabereɛ tumi bu dompe mu.
In longsuffering is prosperity to kings, and a soft tongue breaks the bones.
16 Sɛ wonya ɛwoɔ a, enni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Having found honey, eat [only] what is enough, lest haply you be filled, and vomit it up.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fie, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Enter sparingly into your friend's house, lest he be satiated with your company, and hate you.
18 Onipa a ɔdi adansekurumu tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ aporibaa, afena anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
[As] a club, and a dagger, and a pointed arrow, so also is a man who bears false witness against his friend.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare kaka anaa ɛnan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ deɛ wode wo ho to ɔtorofoɔ so hiada mu.
The way of the wicked and the foot of the transgressor shall perish in an evil day.
20 Deɛ ɔto dwom kyere ɔwerɛhoni no te sɛ deɛ ɔpa ntoma gu awɔberɛ mu anaa te sɛ nsã nyinyanyinya a wɔhwie gu afransa soɔ.
As vinegar is bad for a sore, so trouble befalling the body afflicts the heart. As a moth in a garment, and a worm in wood, so the grief of a man hurts the heart.
21 Sɛ ɛkɔm de wo ɔtamfoɔ a, ma no aduane nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsuo nnom.
If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsoso gyasramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
for so doing you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward you [with] good.
23 Sɛdeɛ atifi fam mframa de osutɔ ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a ɛdi nsekuro de omuna ba.
The north wind raises clouds; so an impudent face provokes the tongue.
24 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ ase mantweaa bi, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
[It is] better to dwell on a corner of the roof, than with a railing woman in an open house.
25 Nsuonwunu a ɔkra a ato baha nya no te sɛ asɛmmɔdɛ a ɛfiri akyirikyiri.
As cold water is agreeable to a thirsting soul, so is a good message from a land far off.
26 Asutire a ahono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ, te sɛ ɔteneneeni a ɔgyaa ne ho ma amumuyɛfoɔ.
As if one should stop a well, and corrupt a spring of water, so [is it] unseemly for a righteous man to fall before an ungodly man.
27 Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ɛwoɔ ntrasoɔ, na ɛnyɛ fɛ nso sɛ obi pɛ animuonyam ma ne ho.
[It is] not good to eat much honey; but it is right to honor venerable sayings.
28 Onipa a ɔnni ahohyɛsoɔ no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasuo abubu agu fam.
As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel.
