Mmɛbusɛm 26
1 Sɛdeɛ sukyerɛmma te ahuhuro berɛ anaasɛ osutɔ te wɔ otwa berɛ no saa ara na animuonyam mfata ɔkwasea.
As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.
2 Sɛdeɛ apatuprɛ tuo anaasɛ asomfena tu danedane ne ho no, saa ara na nnuabɔ hunu nsi hwee.
As a bird by wandering, as a swallow by flying, So reviling without cause does not come.
3 Ɔkafoɔ abaa wɔ hɔ ma ɔpɔnkɔ, nnareka wɔ hɔ ma afunumu, na abaa wɔ hɔ ma nkwaseafoɔ akyi.
A whip is for a horse, a bridle for a donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Nhwɛ ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so mma no mmuaeɛ, anyɛ saa a wo nso bɛyɛ sɛ ɔno.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you are like to him—even you.
5 Gyina ɔkwasea agyimisɛm so ma no mmuaeɛ anyɛ saa a ɛbɛyɛ no sɛ ɔnim nyansa.
Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he is wise in his own eyes.
6 Sɛ wode nkra bi soma ɔkwasea a, ɛte sɛ woatwa wʼankasa nan anaasɛ woafrɛ basabasayɛ.
He is cutting off feet, he is drinking injury, Who is sending things by the hand of a fool.
7 Apakye nan a awu na ɛsensɛn hɔ no, yɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
The two legs of the lame have been weak, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
8 Ɛboɔ a wɔakyekyere afam ahwimmoɔ so, te sɛ animuonyam a wɔde ama ɔkwasea.
As one who is binding a stone in a sling, So [is] he who is giving honor to a fool.
9 Nkasɛɛ dua a ɛkura ɔkɔwensani no te sɛ abɛbusɛm a ɛda ɔkwasea ano.
A thorn has gone up into the hand of a drunkard, And an allegory in the mouth of fools.
10 Deɛ ɔbɔ ɔkwasea anaa obi hunu paa no te sɛ agyantoni a ɔpira nnipa kwa.
The Former of all [is] great, And He is rewarding a fool, And is rewarding transgressors.
11 Sɛdeɛ ɔkraman sane kɔ ne feɛ ho no, saa ara na ɔkwasea ti nʼagyimisɛm mu.
As a dog has returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.
12 Woahunu obi a ɔyɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ nʼankasa ani so? Anidasoɔ pii wɔ ɔkwasea mu sene no.
You have seen a man wise in his own eyes, More hope of a fool than of him!
13 Ɔkwadwofoɔ ka sɛ, “Gyata wɔ ɛkwan no mu, gyata nenam mmɔntene no so!”
The slothful has said, “A lion [is] in the way, A lion [is] in the broad places.”
14 Sɛdeɛ ɛpono di akɔneaba wɔ ne mponterɛ so no, saa ara na ɔkwadwofoɔ twa ne ho wɔ ne mpa so.
The door turns around on its hinge, And the slothful on his bed.
15 Ɔkwadwofoɔ de ne nsa si aduane mu, na ɛyɛ no aniha sɛ ɔbɛyi akɔ nʼano.
The slothful has hid his hand in a dish, He is weary of bringing it back to his mouth.
16 Ɔkwadwofoɔ yɛ onyansafoɔ wɔ ɔno ankasa ani so sene nnipa baason a wɔdwene asɛm ho na wɔabua.
Wiser [is] the slothful in his own eyes, Than seven [men] returning a reason.
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.
Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.
18 Ɔbɔdamfoɔ a ɔtoto atuo anaa agyan kɔdiawuo no
As [one] pretending to be feeble, Who is casting sparks, arrows, and death,
19 te sɛ obi a, ɔdaadaa ne yɔnko na ɔka sɛ, “Na mede redi agorɔ!”
So has a man deceived his neighbor, And has said, “Am I not playing?”
20 Yensin hi a, ogya dum; nsekuro nni hɔ a ntɔkwa toɔ twa.
Fire is going out without wood, And contention ceases without a tale-bearer,
21 Sɛdeɛ gyabidie dane gyasramma na anyina dane ogya no, saa ara na ntɔkwapɛfoɔ hyɛ ntɔkwa mu kutupa.
Coal to burning coals, and wood to fire, And a man of contentions to kindle strife.
22 Osekuni anom asɛm te sɛ mfremfremadeɛ; ɛwurawura kɔ onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
The words of a tale-bearer [are] as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down [to] the inner parts of the heart.
23 Sɛdeɛ wɔde dwetɛ fi adura asankago ho no saa ara na anoɔdɛ kata amumuyɛ akoma so.
Silver of dross spread over potsherd, [Are] burning lips and an evil heart.
24 Onipa bɔne kasa te sɛ deɛ ɔyɛ, nanso nnaadaa ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
A hater pretends by his lips, And he places deceit in his heart,
25 Ɛwom sɛ ne kasa yɛ dɛ deɛ, nanso ɛnnye no nni, ɛfiri sɛ akyiwadeɛ nson ahyɛ nʼakoma ma.
When his voice is gracious do not trust in him, For seven abominations [are] in his heart.
26 Ebia nnaadaa bɛkata nʼadwemmɔne so, nanso nʼamumuyɛsɛm bɛda adi wɔ badwa mu.
Hatred is covered by deceit, Its wickedness is revealed in an assembly.
27 Sɛ onipa tu amena a, ɔbɛto mu; sɛ onipa pire ɔboɔ a, ɛbɛsane aba ne so.
Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And the roller of a stone, it turns to him.
28 Atorɔ tɛkrɛma kyiri wɔn a ɔgu wɔn ho fi, na nnaadaa ano de ɔsɛeɛ ba.
A lying tongue hates its bruised ones, And a flattering mouth works an overthrow!
