Mmɛbusɛm 25
1 Yeinom yɛ Salomo mmɛbusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufoɔ twerɛeɛ:
Also these are the proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah the king of Judah have collected.
2 Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie; sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo animuonyam.
It is the honor of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
3 Sɛdeɛ ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no, saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo akoma mu.
As are the heavens for height, and the earth is for depth, so should the heart of kings be unsearchable.
4 Sɛ wɔyi dwetɛ ho a, dwetɛdwumfoɔ tumi de yɛ adeɛ a ɛho wɔ mfasoɔ;
Take away the dross from the silver, and there will come forth a vessel for the melter.
5 Yi amumuyɛfoɔ firi ɔhene anim, na tenenee bɛma nʼahennwa atim.
Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be firmly established in righteousness.
6 Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim, na mpere diberɛ wɔ atitire mu;
Do not glorify thyself in the presence of the king, and force thyself not into the place of great men;
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 better it is that it be said unto thee, “Come up hither,” than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince, which thy own eyes have [often] seen.
8 mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asɛnniiɛ, na sɛ awieeɛ no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?
Do not proceed to a contest hastily, lest [thou know not] what thou wilt have to do at its end, when thy neighbor hath put thee to confusion.
9 Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a nna obi foforɔ ahintasɛm adi,
Carry on thy cause with thy neighbor; but lay not open the secret of another:
10 anyɛ saa a, deɛ ɔbɛte no bɛgu wʼanim ase na edin bɔne a wobɛnya no rempepa da.
Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thy infamy never be removed.
11 Asɛm a wɔka no sɛdeɛ ɛfata no te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesieɛ mu.
Like apples of gold among figures of silver is a word spoken in a proper manner.
12 Sikakɔkɔɔ asomuadeɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ amapa ahyehyɛdeɛ te sɛ onyansafoɔ animka a ɔde ma deɛ ɔyɛ aso ma no.
As an earring of gold, and a pendant of fine gold, so is a wise reprover toward an ear that listeneth.
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 the cooling of snow on a harvest-day, so is a faithful messenger to those that send him; for he refresheth the soul of his master.
14 Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osutɔ mma no te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛdeɛ a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
Like clouds and wind without rain, so is a man that vaunteth falsely of a gift.
15 Ntoboaseɛ ma sodifoɔ ti da, na tɛkrɛmabereɛ tumi bu dompe mu.
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bones.
16 Sɛ wonya ɛwoɔ a, enni ntra so, ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
Hast thou found honey: eat so much as is sufficient for thee: lest thou consume too much of it, and have to vomit it forth.
17 Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fie, wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
Make thy foot scarce in the house of thy friend: lest he have too much of thee, and so hate thee.
18 Onipa a ɔdi adansekurumu tia ne yɔnko no te sɛ aporibaa, afena anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
A battle-axe, and a sword, and a sharpened arrow is a man that testifieth as a false witness against his neighbor.
19 Ɛse a ɛyare kaka anaa ɛnan a ɛyɛ apakye te sɛ deɛ wode wo ho to ɔtorofoɔ so hiada mu.
Like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint, is confidence in a treacherous man in a time of distress.
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] he that taketh off his garment on a cold day, [as] vinegar is upon natron: so is he that singeth songs before an unhappy heart.
21 Sɛ ɛkɔm de wo ɔtamfoɔ a, ma no aduane nni; sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsuo nnom.
If thy enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsoso gyasramma agu nʼatifi, na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
For though thou gatherest coals of fire upon his head, yet will the Lord repay it unto thee.
23 Sɛdeɛ atifi fam mframa de osutɔ ba no, saa ara na tɛkrɛma a ɛdi nsekuro de omuna ba.
The north wind bringeth forth rain: so doth secret talking, angry countenances.
24 Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ ase mantweaa bi, sene sɛ wo ne ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ bɛtena efie.
It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof, than with a quarrelsome woman even in a roomy house.
25 Nsuonwunu a ɔkra a ato baha nya no te sɛ asɛmmɔdɛ a ɛfiri akyirikyiri.
As cold water is to a fainting soul, so are good news from a far-off country.
26 Asutire a ahono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ, te sɛ ɔteneneeni a ɔgyaa ne ho ma amumuyɛfoɔ.
Like a turbid spring and a corrupt fountain, is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked.
27 Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ɛwoɔ ntrasoɔ, na ɛnyɛ fɛ nso sɛ obi pɛ animuonyam ma ne ho.
To eat too much honey is not good: so is it honor to set a limit to men's honor.
28 Onipa a ɔnni ahohyɛsoɔ no te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasuo abubu agu fam.
Like a city that is broken in, and is without walls: so is the man that hath no control over his spirit.
