Mmɛbusɛm 26
1 Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma te ahuhuro berɛ anaasɛ osutɔ te wɔ otwa berɛ no saa ara na animuonyam mfata ɔkwasea.
As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honor is not [seemly] for a fool.
2 Sɛdeɛ apatuprɛ tuo anaasɛ asomfena tu danedane ne ho no, saa ara na nnuabɔ hunu nsi hwee.
As birds and sparrows fly, so a curse shall not come upon any one without a cause.
3 Ɔkafoɔ abaa wɔ hɔ ma ɔpɔnkɔ, nnareka wɔ hɔ ma afunumu, na abaa wɔ hɔ ma nkwaseafoɔ akyi.
As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.
4 Nhwɛ ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so mma no mmuaeɛ, anyɛ saa a wo nso bɛyɛ sɛ ɔno.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Gyina ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so ma no mmuaeɛ anyɛ saa a ɛbɛyɛ no sɛ ɔnim nyansa.
Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.
6 Sɛ wode nkra bi soma ɔkwasea a, ɛte sɛ woatwa wʼankasa nan anaasɛ woafrɛ basabasayɛ.
He that sends a message by a foolish messenger procures for himself a reproach from his own ways.
7 Apakye nan a awu na ɛsensɛn hɔ no, yɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
[As well] take away the motion of the legs, as transgression from the mouth of fools.
8 Ɛboɔ a wɔakyekyere afam ahwimmoɔ so, te sɛ animuonyam a wɔde ama ɔkwasea.
He that binds up a stone in a sling, is like one that gives glory to a fool.
9 Nkasɛɛ dua a ɛkura ɔkɔwensani no te sɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
Thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard, and servitude in the hand of fools.
10 Deɛ ɔbɔ ɔkwasea anaa obi hunu paa no te sɛ agyantoni a ɔpira nnipa kwa.
All the flesh of fools endures much hardship; for their fury is brought to nothing.
11 Sɛdeɛ ɔkraman sane kɔ ne feɛ ho no, saa ara na ɔkwasea ti nʼagyimisɛm mu.
As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin. [There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.]
12 Woahunu obi a ɔyɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ nʼankasa ani so? Anidasoɔ pii wɔ ɔkwasea mu sene no.
I have seen a man who seemed to himself to be wise; but a fool had more hope than he.
13 Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata wɔ ɛkwan no mu, gyata nenam mmɔntene no so!”
A sluggard when sent on a journey says, [There is] a lion in the ways, and [there are] murderers in the streets.
14 Sɛdeɛ ɛpono di akɔneaba wɔ ne mponterɛ so no, saa ara na ɔkwadwofoɔ twa ne ho wɔ ne mpa so.
As a door turns on the hinge, so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 Ɔkwadwofoɔ de ne nsa si aduane mu, na ɛyɛ no aniha sɛ ɔbɛyi akɔ nʼano.
A sluggard having hid his hand in his bosom, will not be able to bring it up to his mouth.
16 Ɔkwadwofoɔ yɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ ɔno ankasa ani so sene nnipa baason a wɔdwene asɛm ho na wɔabua.
A sluggard seems to himself wiser than one who most satisfactorily brings back a message.
17 Obi a ɔsɔ ɔkraman aso twe noɔ no te sɛ obi a ɔretwam na ɔde ne ho kɔfra ntɔkwa a ɛmfa ne ho mu.
As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.
18 Ɔbɔdamfoɔ a ɔtoto atuo anaa agyan kɔdiawuo no
As those who need correction put forth [fair] words to men, and he that first falls in with the proposal will be overthrown;
19 te sɛ obi a, ɔdaadaa ne yɔnko na ɔka sɛ, “Na mede redi agorɔ!”
so are all that lay wait for their own friends, and when they are discovered, say, I did it in jest.
20 Yensin hi a, ogya dum; nsekuro nni hɔ a ntɔkwa toɔ twa.
With much wood fire increases; but where there is not a double-minded man, strife ceases.
21 Sɛdeɛ gyabidie dane gyasramma na anyina dane ogya no, saa ara na ntɔkwapɛfoɔ hyɛ ntɔkwa mu kutupa.
A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
22 Osekuni anom asɛm te sɛ mfremfremadeɛ; ɛwurawura kɔ onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
The words of cunning knaves are soft; but they strike [even] to the inmost parts of the bowels.
23 Sɛdeɛ wɔde dwetɛ fi adura asankago ho no saa ara na anoɔdɛ kata amumuyɛ akoma so.
Silver dishonestly given is to be considered as a potsherd: smooth lips cover a grievous heart.
24 Onipa bɔne kasa te sɛ deɛ ɔyɛ, nanso nnaadaa ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.
25 Ɛwom sɛ ne kasa yɛ dɛ deɛ, nanso ɛnnye no nni, ɛfiri sɛ akyiwadeɛ nson ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
Though [your] enemy entreat you with a loud voice, consent not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Ebia nnaadaa bɛkata nʼadwemmɔne so, nanso nʼamumuyɛsɛm bɛda adi wɔ badwa mu.
He that hides enmity frames deceit: but being easily discerned, exposes his own sins in the public assemblies.
27 Sɛ onipa tu amena a, ɔbɛto mu; sɛ onipa pire ɔboɔ a, ɛbɛsane aba ne so.
He that digs a pit for his neighbor shall fall into it: and he that rolls a stone, rolls it upon himself.
28 Atorɔ tɛkrɛma kyiri wɔn a ɔgu wɔn ho fi, na nnaadaa ano de ɔsɛeɛ ba.
A lying tongue hates the truth; and an unguarded mouth causes tumults.
